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
Joshua Hunt, Vanity Fair, 17 June 2026
Smack dab in the middle of Alabama's peach country off I-65, this nondescript building is a humble playground of fruit flavors.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 17 June 2026
Off of Tampa’s Veterans Expressway, behind a gas station and in the shadow of a billboard with rotating local advertisements, a soccer team arrives for practice at two nondescript fields — a nation’s hopes in tow.
—Nicolas Villamil, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 June 2026
On the eve of arguably the biggest game in United States soccer history, the USMNT gathered in a nondescript sports complex to get ready for their moment.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 12 June 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 18 Jun. 2026.
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nondescript
adjective
