descriptive

de·scrip·tive

adjective \di-ˈskrip-tiv\

Definition of DESCRIPTIVE

1

: serving to describe <a descriptive account>

2

a : referring to, constituting, or grounded in matters of observation or experience <the descriptive basis of science>

b : factually grounded or informative rather than normative, prescriptive, or emotive <descriptive cultural studies>

3

of a modifier

a : expressing the quality, kind, or condition of what is denoted by the modified term <hot in “hot water” is a descriptive adjective>

b : nonrestrictive

4

: of, relating to, or dealing with the structure of a language at a particular time usually with exclusion of historical and comparative data <descriptive linguistics>

— de·scrip·tive·ly adverb

— de·scrip·tive·ness noun

Examples of DESCRIPTIVE

1. She gave a descriptive account of the journey.
2. a talent for descriptive writing
3. a poem full of descriptive detail
4. The black cat was given the descriptive name “Midnight.”
5. The book is a descriptive grammar.

First Known Use of DESCRIPTIVE

1723

Rhymes with DESCRIPTIVE

ascriptive, inscriptive, prescriptive, proscriptive