descriptive

[ dih-skrip-tiv ]

/ dɪˈskrɪp tɪv /

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adjective

having the quality of describing; characterized by description: a descriptive passage in an essay.

Grammar.

(of an adjective or other modifier) expressing a quality of the word it modifies, as fresh in fresh milk.Compare limiting (def. 2).
(of a clause) nonrestrictive.Compare restrictive (def. 4).

noting, concerned with, or based upon the fact or experience.

characterized by or based upon the classification and description of material in a given field: descriptive botany.

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Origin of descriptive

1745–55; <Late Latin dēscrīptīvus, equivalent to Latin dēscrīpt(us) (see description) + -īvus-ive

OTHER WORDS FROM descriptive

de·scrip·tive·ly, adverbde·scrip·tive·ness, nounnon·de·scrip·tive, adjectivenon·de·scrip·tive·ly, adverb

non·de·scrip·tive·ness, nouno·ver·de·scrip·tive, adjectiveo·ver·de·scrip·tive·ly, adverbo·ver·de·scrip·tive·ness, nounself-de·scrip·tive, adjectiveun·de·scrip·tive, adjectiveun·de·scrip·tive·ly, adverbun·de·scrip·tive·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use descriptive in a sentence

Use a descriptive anchor text with keywords that are relevant to the linked-to page.
Seven most popular types of blog posts guaranteed to boost traffic|Karl Tablante|November 30, 2020|Search Engine Watch
I use the word “intense,” because the word “difficult” is pejorative and not very descriptive.
Why one child can be more ‘difficult’ than another|Meghan Leahy|November 11, 2020|Washington Post
The most common approach for curating such a data set is to compile a collection of images with descriptive captions.
This could lead to the next big breakthrough in common sense AI|Karen Hao|November 6, 2020|MIT Technology Review
In the Pixel 4a, Google has already turned off face retouching by default, it says, and notes the interface will soon be updated to include what Google describes as “value-free” descriptive icons and labels for the app’s face retouching effects.
Google takes aim at ‘beauty filters’ with design changes coming to Pixel phones|Sarah Perez|October 1, 2020|TechCrunch

Additionally, if you want images to show up in Google, then writing descriptive alt text is a must-have.
How to make your website ADA-compliant and win at SEO|Abhishek Shah|September 21, 2020|Search Engine Watch
In other words, descriptively, Khalidi thinks Foxman is right.
"No Light Between the U.S. and Israel”|Shaul Magid|May 23, 2013|DAILY BEAST
He'll immediately (extending her arms descriptively) throw down his bunch of flowers and dive despairingly into the moat.
Belinda|A. A. Milne
It is easy, however, to let this list of characters go too far descriptively.
Dramatic Technique|George Pierce Baker
At the crossroads in the valley stood the local jail, or "coop," as it was more descriptively called.
Overland Red|Henry Herbert Knibbs
As an instance we may quote the “Faust” overture of Wagner, in which the pitch is used emotionally as well as descriptively.
Critical & Historical Essays|Edward MacDowell
The word is also used descriptively for the internal divisions or sections of a comprehensive work.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 2|Various

British Dictionary definitions for descriptive

descriptive

/ (dɪˈskrɪptɪv) /

adjective

characterized by or containing description; serving to describe

grammar (of an adjective) serving to describe the referent of the noun modified, as for example the adjective brown as contrasted with my and former

relating to or based upon description or classification rather than explanation or prescriptiondescriptive linguistics

Derived forms of descriptive

descriptively, adverbdescriptiveness, noun

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

descriptive

Origin of descriptive

OTHER WORDS FROM descriptive

Words related to descriptive

How to use descriptive in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for descriptive

Derived forms of descriptive