# descriptive

/dɪsˈkɹɪptɪv/ (US) · /dɪskɹˈɪptɪv/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/descriptive
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. giving details

adjective · CEFR B2

giving a clear and detailed picture of what something or someone is like.

For teachers: providing a detailed account or representation of the characteristics of a person, object, or event.

- The author used very descriptive language to help the reader imagine the forest.
- The witness provided a highly descriptive account of the suspect, noting specific details about his clothing and mannerisms that proved vital to the investigation.

### 2. linguistics/grammar

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic · Technical

describing how people actually use a language, rather than telling them how they should use it.

For teachers: referring to an approach that analyses and records how language is naturally used by its speakers without making value judgements.

- A descriptive grammar book explains how people talk in real life.
- Modern linguistics is primarily a descriptive science, focusing on the underlying patterns of speech rather than enforcing arbitrary grammatical rules.

Usage: Often contrasted with 'prescriptive' in linguistic contexts.

Teaching tip: This is a key term in linguistics; explain to students that a descriptive dictionary records slang and errors if they are common, while a prescriptive one forbids them.

### 3. classifying

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic · Formal

used to name or group things based on what they are like.

For teachers: serving to classify or identify something by its qualities rather than by its function or value.

- The scientist gave the new bird a descriptive name based on its red wings.
- The study adopted a purely descriptive framework to categorise the various social behaviours observed in the primate colony.

## Examples

- The report gives a descriptive account of the event.
- Her descriptive writing helps readers visualize the busy market scene.
- The study adopts a descriptive approach, documenting observed behaviors without attempting to explain their underlying causes.

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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.