# description

/dɪsˈkɹɪpʃən/ (US) · /dɪskɹˈɪpʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/description
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. an account of something

noun · CEFR A1

a picture in words that tells you how something looks, sounds, or feels.

For teachers: a spoken or written representation of the appearance, nature, or attributes of something.

- The witness gave a detailed description of the man to the police.
- The novelist provided such a vivid description of the coastal village that readers felt they could smell the salt air.

### 2. linguistic analysis

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic · Technical

the study of how people actually use a language, without saying what is right or wrong.

For teachers: the objective recording and analysis of language usage within a speech community, contrasted with prescription.

- The book offers a clear description of how the local dialect has changed.
- Modern linguistics prioritises the accurate description of spoken corpora over the enforcement of traditional grammatical rules.

Usage: Often used in the context of 'descriptive linguistics'.

### 3. a type or category

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

a particular type or kind of person or thing.

For teachers: a class, type, or variety of something, often used in the phrase 'of every description'.

- The shop sold old books and magazines of every description.
- The festival attracted travellers of every description, from wealthy tourists to backpackers on a strict budget.

## Examples

- The police asked for a description of the thief.
- The travel brochure provided a vivid description of the hotel's private beach and luxury spa facilities.
- While the technical manual offers a functional description of the machine, it fails to address the safety protocols required for daily operation in a high-pressure environment.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.