descriptor

noun

de·scrip·tor | \ di-ˈskrip-tər

Definition of descriptor

: something (such as a word or characteristic feature) that serves to describe or identify especially : a word or phrase (such as an index term) used to identify an item (such as a subject or document) in an information retrieval system

Examples of descriptor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That's the descriptor that popped up in the days after the successful landing of US Air Flight 1549 in the Hudson River on January 15, 2009. — Allen St. John, Popular Mechanics, "What Went Right: Revisiting Captain "Sully" Sullenberger and the Miracle on the Hudson," 15 Jan. 2019 Fashion and fantasy are not archetypical descriptors for small kitchen appliances. — Ann Trieger Kurland, BostonGlobe.com, "Fashion meets function — on a countertop," 7 May 2018 Via phone from his Saratoga, California home, Williamson is only too happy to expound on his descriptors and projects -- especially his latest, the excellent band Pink Hearts, a trio that’s created an expansive 11-song album, Behind the Shade. — Katherine Turman, Billboard, "James Williamson on His New Trio Pink Hearts & the Stooges' Legacy," 21 June 2018 However, Markle did not receive that same descriptor in the letter of approval from the monarch (below). — Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, "Why Queen Elizabeth Called Kate Middleton 'Our Trusty and Well-Beloved,' But Not Meghan Markle," 12 May 2018 Those descriptors probably apply to several of Kelly’s own ancestors. — Philip Bump, BostonGlobe.com, "How John Kelly’s family history compares with the immigrants he wants to keep from entering," 11 May 2018 The score report also provides the student results in one of four descriptors: did not meet, approaches, meets, and masters. — Bill Mchenry And Eric Simpson, star-telegram, "Educators disagree on what we're really learning from statewide STAAR tests? Here are two views," 1 June 2018 Sauce Hockey, the retailer selling the shirts, also apologized for the descriptors. — Chris Morris, Fortune, "Walmart Was Once Again Forced to Pull an Offensive Shirt From Its Website," 12 July 2018 Not great—which works as a descriptor for most things about the current state of this rotation outside of J.A. Happ. 19. — Emma Baccellieri, SI.com, "The Mariners Firmly Enter Baseball's Top Tier in Our Latest Power Rankings," 2 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'descriptor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.