descriptive

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English

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Etymology

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From Latin dēscriptīvus (containing a full description).

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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descriptive (comparative more descriptive, superlative most descriptive)

  1. Of, relating to, or providing a description.
  2. (grammar) Of an adjective, stating an attribute of the associated noun (as heavy in the heavy dictionary).
  3. (linguistics) Describing the structure, grammar, vocabulary and actual use of a language.
  4. (sciences, philosophy) Describing and seeking to classify, as opposed to normative or prescriptive.
    • 2012 March-April, John T. Jost, “Social Justice: Is It in Our Nature (and Our Future)?”, in American Scientist[1], volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 13 February 2012, page 162:
      He draws eclectically on studies of baboons, descriptive anthropological accounts of hunter-gatherer societies and, in a few cases, the fossil record.

Antonyms

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Hyponyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Noun

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descriptive (plural descriptives)

  1. (grammar) An adjective (or other descriptive word)

Derived terms

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See also

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Anagrams

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French

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Adjective

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descriptive

  1. feminine singular of descriptif