# descriptor

/dɪsˈkɹɪpˌtɝ/ (US) · /dɪskɹˈɪptɐ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/descriptor
Updated: 2026-05-25

## Definition

a word or phrase that describes a specific quality or feature of something. In computing, it is often a piece of data that tells you how to handle a file or a process.

For teachers: a word, phrase, or data structure that provides a description or classification of an entity. In technical contexts, it refers to a handle or identifier used by an operating system to manage resources like files or network sockets.

## Examples

- The color red is a common descriptor for this car.
- The software uses a unique file descriptor to ensure that the correct data is read from the correct location on the hard drive.
- Linguists often use a set of phonetic descriptors to precisely capture the subtle acoustic differences between similar vowel sounds across various dialects.

---

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.