/ dɪˈskrɪptɪv; NAmE / adjective
1.
saying what sb/sth is like; describing sth :
the descriptive passages in the novel
The term I used was meant to be purely descriptive (= not judging) .
2.
( linguistics ) saying how language is actually used, without giving rules for how it should be used
OPP prescriptive
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 18th cent.: from late Latin descriptivus , from descript- written down, from the verb describere write down from de- down + scribere write.