nondescript
adjective
George Bernard Shaw
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How Nondescript Was Formed
It is relatively easy to describe the origins of nondescript (and there's a hint in the first part of this sentence). Nondescript was formed by combining the prefix non- (meaning "not") with descriptus,the past participle of the Latin verb describere, meaning "to describe." It is no surprise, then, that when the word was adopted in the late 17th century by English speakers, it was typically applied to something (such as a genus or species) that had not yet been described. Other descriptive descendants of describere in English include describe, description, and descriptive itself, as well as the rare philosophical term descriptum ("something that is described").
Examples of nondescript in a Sentence
Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026
Antioch and Contra Costa County have become notorious for black market grow operations, often hidden in nondescript suburban homes.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
Tucked away in a quiet industrial park, the nondescript building had become the locus of ongoing protests since Bovino and his forces had arrived in Illinois.
—A.c. Thompson, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2026
The rules of this netherworld announce themselves, early on, via a nondescript wall sign.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nondescript
Cite this Entry
“Nondescript.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nondescript. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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nondescript
adjective
