Word Noun
descriptor
n.
countable
C1 Advanced US /dɪsˈkɹɪpˌtɝ/ UK /dɪskɹˈɪptɐ/ de·scrip·tor UK spelling descriptor's, descriptor's
Definition
n.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.
n.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.”
This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated