prescriptive

American  

[pri-skrip-tiv] / prɪˈskrɪp tɪv /

adjective

1. that prescribes; giving directions or injunctions.

   a prescriptive letter from an anxious father.

2. depending on or arising from effective legal prescription, as a right or title established by a long unchallenged tenure.

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prescriptive British  

/ prɪˈskrɪptɪv /

adjective

1. making or giving directions, rules, or injunctions

2. sanctioned by long-standing usage or custom

3. derived from or based upon legal prescription

   a prescriptive title

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Other Word Forms

• prescriptiveness
  noun
• nonprescriptive
  adjective
• prescriptively
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of prescriptive

First recorded in 1740–50; prescript + -ive, modeled on descriptive, destructive, etc.

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Explanation

Prescriptive things have to do with giving rules or directions. Prescriptive advice tells you what to do. When the doctor writes a prescription, he or she is telling you to get a particular drug and take it. Similarly, anything prescriptive involves telling people what to do. People are prescriptive when they're sure of what’s right. "You have several options" is not prescriptive, but "You should do this" is very prescriptive. A bossy person is very prescriptive.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prescriptive

That’s a lot more prescriptive than just asking a question.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026

Another was more prescriptive: “Take pictures of your food. Spend a little time and effort to make your own flyer.”

From Salon ● Oct. 3, 2026

But there are prescriptive terms that come with ITV's public service broadcasting licence, which runs until 2034.

From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026

For Goldhaber, the response to “Pipeline” became instructive for his work becoming less prescriptive.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 31, 2026

While I am fascinated by the linguistic exuberance of the vox populi, I’d be the first to argue that having prescriptive rules is desirable, indeed indispensable, in many arenas of writing.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

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