description

[dih-skrip-shuhn]

noun

1. a statement, picture in words, or account that describes; descriptive representation.

2. the act or method of describing.

3. sort; kind; variety.

   dogs of every description.

   Synonyms: ilk, condition, character, nature, species

4. Geometry.,  the act or process of describing a figure.

description

/ dɪˈskrɪpʃən /

noun

1. a statement or account that describes; representation in words

2. the act, process, or technique of describing

3. sort, kind, or variety

   reptiles of every description

4. geometry the act of drawing a line or figure, such as an arc

5. philosophy a noun phrase containing a predicate that may replace a name as the subject of a sentence

Other Word Forms

• predescription noun
• redescription noun
• self-description noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of description¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English descripcioun, from Latin dēscrīptiōn-, stem of dēscrīptiō, from dēscrīpt(us) “described” (past participle of dēscrībere “to copy, draw, transcribe”; describe ) + -iō -ion

Idioms and Phrases

see beggar description.

Example Sentences

The victim, who continues to have flashbacks to that night, has now been able to provide a further description of the man, enabling officers to produce the image, the force said.

Read more on BBC

It’s followed by parentheses that hold plain descriptions — red chapel relief; oil can; or, folding table and chairs, dark brown.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Merriam-Webster now defines it simply as a “sauce made from the thickened and seasoned juices of cooked meat,” a tidy description for something that shows up in about a thousand guises on American tables.

Read more on Salon

Neither had someone matching his name or description.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"Historically, catalyst engineers relied on more indirect measurements at idealized conditions to understand molecules on surfaces. Instead, this new measurement method provides a tangible description of surface bonding at catalytically-relevant conditions."

Read more on Science Daily

Related Words

• characterization 
• confession 
• definition 
• depiction 
• detail 
• explanation 
• information 
• narration 
• narrative 
• picture 
• portrayal 
• report 
• sketch 
• statement 
• story 
• summary 
• tale 
• version