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Showing results for description. Search instead for deskripsi.
Synonyms

description

American  
[dih-skrip-shuhn] / dɪˈskrɪp ʃən /

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 British  
/ 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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
description Idioms  

  1. see beggar description.

Other Word Forms

  • predescription noun
  • redescription noun
  • self-description noun

Etymology

Origin of description

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Ms. Gage acknowledges this, quoting President Lyndon B. Johnson’s description of American history as “the excitement of becoming.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

“I’m sure Nithya Raman doesn’t have citywide name recognition, but that description is really great,” Mitchell said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

“The light-filled residence was designed for seamless indoor-outdoor living, featuring a spectacular open floor plan,” the description goes on.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

In the past, I’ve accidentally given incorrect public transit information when writing about how to get to a museum, or reported the wrong number of poles in the product description for a tent.

From Slate • Mar. 28, 2026

I remembered Olka’s initial description of me as someone who floated through life and thought myself to be swimming.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.