different between description vs describe

English

Etymology

From Old French description, from Latin d?scr?pti?, noun of action of d?scr?b? (“I describe”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /d??sk??p??n/

Noun

description (countable and uncountable, plural descriptions)

1. A sketch or account of anything in words; a portraiture or representation in language; an enumeration of the essential qualities of a thing or species.
2. The act of describing; a delineation by marks or signs.
3. A set of characteristics by which someone or something can be recognized.

   The zoo had no lions, tigers, or cats of any description.

4. (taxonomy) A scientific documentation of a taxon for the purpose of introducing it to science.

   The type description of the fungus was written by a botanist.

5. (linguistics) The act or practice of recording and describing actual language usage in a given speech community, as opposed to prescription, i.e. laying down norms of language usage.
6. (linguistics) A descriptive linguistic survey.

Synonyms

• (characteristics): sort, kind, type, variety

Derived terms

Related terms

• describe
• descriptive

Translations

See also

• prescription
• descriptivism

Further reading

• description in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• description in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

See also

• synopsis
• interpretation

Anagrams

• discerption, predictions

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin d?scripti?.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d?s.k?ip.sj??/
• Homophone: descriptions

Noun

description f (plural descriptions)

1. description

Related terms

• décrire
• descriptif

Further reading

• “description” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Old French

Etymology

From Latin d?scripti?.

Noun

description f (oblique plural descriptions, nominative singular description, nominative plural descriptions)

1. description

Related terms

• descrivre

English

Etymology

From Middle English descriven, from Old French descrivre, from Latin d?scr?b? (“I copy off, transcribe, sketch off, describe in painting or writing”), from d? (“off”) + scr?b? (“write”); see scribe and shrive. Displaced native Old English ?mearcian.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d??sk?a?b/, /d?s?k?a?b/
• Rhymes: -a?b
• Hyphenation: de?scribe

Verb

describe (third-person singular simple present describes, present participle describing, simple past and past participle described)

1. (transitive) To represent in words.
   • 2014, Daniel Taylor, "Sergio Agüero strike wins derby for Manchester City against 10-man United," guardian.co.uk, November 2, 2014

     Yet the truth is that City would probably have been coasting by that point if the referee, Michael Oliver, had not turned down three separate penalties, at least two of which could be accurately described as certainties.
2. (transitive) To represent by drawing; to draw a plan of; to delineate; to trace or mark out.
   • 1826, James Fenimore Cooper, The Last of the Mohicans

     Uncas described an arc in the water with his own blade, and as the canoe passed swiftly on, Chingachgook recovered his paddle, and flourishing it on high, he gave the war-whoop of the Mohicans.

3. (transitive, mathematics) To give rise to a geometrical structure.

4. (transitive, taxonomy) To introduce a new taxon to science by explaining its characteristics and particularly how it differs from other taxa.

5. (obsolete) To distribute into parts, groups, or classes; to mark off; to class.

Synonyms

• (to represent in words): portray, betell, depict, report; see also Thesaurus:describe
• (to represent in writing): bewrite

Derived terms

• abovedescribed
• aforedescribed

Related terms

• describable
• description
• descriptive
• descriptivism
• descriptivist
• descriptor
• scribe

Translations

Further reading

• describe in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• describe in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• escribed

Latin

Verb

d?scr?be

1. second-person singular present active imperative of d?scr?b?

Scots

Etymology

From English describe.

Verb

describe (third-person singular present describes, present participle describin, past describit, past participle describit)

1. to describe

Spanish

Verb

describe

1. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted^?) present indicative form of describir.
2. Informal second-person singular (tú) affirmative imperative form of describir.