descriptive

adjective

de·​scrip·​tive di-ˈskrip-tiv How to pronounce descriptive (audio)
1
: presenting observations about the characteristics of someone or something : 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
4
linguistics : 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
descriptively adverb
descriptiveness noun

Examples of descriptive in a Sentence

She gave a descriptive account of the journey. a talent for descriptive writing a poem full of descriptive detail The black cat was given the descriptive name “Midnight.” The book is a descriptive grammar.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The platform supplemented these options with four multi-camera feeds, an Indian Sign Language feed, and audio descriptive commentary to ensure accessibility for diverse audiences. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Mar. 2025 In other words, assessment insights need to be practical and problem-solving rather than just descriptive. Scott Dust, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025 The most common type of novel, though, is the one that’s mundanely descriptive of Life During the Pandemic—stories that feel as if they’ve been dredged from the author’s memories of it. Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2025 The script is filled with sharp details — the descriptive stage directions are like passages from a novel. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 2 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for descriptive

Word History

Etymology

see describe

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of descriptive was in 1593

Cite this Entry

“Descriptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/descriptive. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

descriptive

adjective
de·​scrip·​tive di-ˈskrip-tiv How to pronounce descriptive (audio)
: serving to describe
a descriptive account
a descriptive adjective
descriptively adverb
descriptiveness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on descriptive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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