English Online Dictionary. What means description? What does description mean?
English
Etymology
From Middle English descripcioun, from Old French description and its etymon, Latin dēscrīptiō, noun of action of dēscrībō (“I describe”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /dɪˈskɹɪpʃən/, /dəˈskɹɪpʃən/
Noun
description (countable and uncountable, plural descriptions)
- A sketch or account of anything in words; a portraiture or representation in language; an enumeration of the essential qualities of a thing or species.
- The act of describing; a delineation by marks or signs.
- A set of characteristics by which someone or something can be recognized.
- (taxonomy) A scientific documentation of a taxon for the purpose of introducing it to science.
- (linguistics) The act or practice of recording and describing actual language usage in a given speech community, as opposed to prescription, i.e. laying down norms of language usage.
- (linguistics) A descriptive linguistic survey.
Synonyms
- (characteristics): sort, kind, type, variety
Derived terms
Related terms
- describe
- descriptive
Translations
See also
- prescription
- descriptivism
Further reading
- “description”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “description”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
See also
- synopsis
- interpretation
Anagrams
- discerption, predictions
French
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin dēscriptiōnem.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /dɛs.kʁip.sjɔ̃/
- Homophone: descriptions
Noun
description f (plural descriptions)
- description
Related terms
- décrire
- descriptif
Further reading
- “description”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Old French
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin dēscriptiō.
Noun
description oblique singular, f (oblique plural descriptions, nominative singular description, nominative plural descriptions)
- description
Related terms
- descrivre