descriptive
gb/dɪskɹˈɪptɪv/ us/dɪskɹˈɪptɪv/
B2
Inglês
~ 6700
Aceções
0 aceções
adjective
B2
property
1
giving vivid, detailed description
Using many clear details so a person can easily imagine something.
Padrão de uso:
descriptive [noun]; [something] is descriptive
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes confuse "descriptive" with "describable." "Descriptive" means that the words or writing give a lot of detail. "Describable" means that something *can* be described. Also, some learners overuse "very descriptive" when they could use more specific adjectives like "vivid" or "detailed."
Sinónimos
vivid (Suggests very strong, colorful images or feelings, often more emotional than neutral 'descriptive'.)
|
evocative (Focuses on bringing strong images or memories to mind, often more artistic or literary than 'descriptive'.)
Antónimos
vague (Lacks clear details, making it hard to picture or understand something, the opposite of being descriptive.)
|
bare (Gives only minimal information without extra detail or imagery.)
Colocações
descriptive language
|highly descriptive
|richly descriptive
|descriptive passage
|descriptive writing
|descriptive detail
Temas
language
|art
|education
|communication
|arts_entertainment
Exemplos
- The author’s descriptive language makes you feel as if you are walking through the forest yourself.
- Her report was very descriptive, listing the colors, sounds, and smells of the market.
- I enjoy novels with rich, descriptive passages that paint a clear picture of each scene.
- The tour guide gave a descriptive explanation of the building’s history and design.
- The photographer added a short, descriptive caption under each picture.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- The story is very descriptive and easy to imagine.
- He wrote a descriptive paragraph about his hometown.
- The teacher asked us to be more descriptive in our essays.
- I like books with descriptive writing.
- Her descriptive words help me see the picture in my head.
adjective
B2
property
2
clearly showing what something is
Saying very clearly what a thing is or what it does, especially in a name or title.
Padrão de uso:
descriptive [name/title/label]; [name/title] is descriptive
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes think "descriptive" here means "long." A descriptive title can be short; the key idea is that it clearly shows what the thing is. They may also confuse this sense with emotional or literary description; for names and titles, the focus is on clarity and information, not on being artistic.
Sinónimos
informative (Stresses that the name or title gives useful information; often slightly more formal than 'descriptive'.)
|
explicit (Emphasizes being very clear and direct, sometimes stronger or more forceful than 'descriptive'.)
Antónimos
misleading (Gives a wrong idea about what something is or does, the opposite of a descriptive or accurate label.)
|
vague (Too general or unclear, not giving enough information about what something is.)
Colocações
descriptive title
|descriptive name
|descriptive label
|descriptive term
|highly descriptive title
Temas
communication
|business
|technology
|core_vocabulary
Exemplos
- "The Beginner’s Guide to Coding" is a very descriptive title for the book.
- Use a descriptive file name so you can easily find the document later.
- The company chose a simple, descriptive logo that shows exactly what they sell.
- That job title isn’t very descriptive; I still don’t know what she actually does.
- The map includes descriptive labels for all major landmarks.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- Please write a short, descriptive title for your essay.
- Her username is very descriptive, so I know who she is.
- This is not a descriptive name; I don’t know what the product does.
- Can you make the label more descriptive?
- The teacher asked us to choose more descriptive names for our folders.
adjective
technical
C1
property
3
describing how language is used
Talking about how people really speak and write, without saying it is right or wrong.
Padrão de uso:
descriptive [grammar/approach/model]; [approach] is descriptive, not prescriptive
Erro comum:
Learners often confuse "descriptive" and "prescriptive" in linguistic discussions. "Descriptive" records and explains what speakers actually do; it does *not* mean "easy to describe." "Prescriptive" tells people what they should say or write. Another mistake is thinking "descriptive grammar" is only about adding lots of detail; in linguistics, it specifically means non-judgmental description of usage.
Sinónimos
non-prescriptive (Technical term that directly contrasts with 'prescriptive'; used mostly in linguistics and language teaching contexts.)
|
descriptive-only (Emphasizes that the approach stops at description and does not give rules; less standard but clear in context.)
Antónimos
prescriptive (Focuses on how people *should* use language, giving rules and judgments, which is the opposite of a descriptive approach.)
Colocações
descriptive grammar
|descriptive linguistics
|descriptive approach
|purely descriptive
|descriptive, not prescriptive
Temas
language
|linguistics
|education
|communication
Exemplos
- A descriptive grammar explains how native speakers actually talk, even if their speech breaks traditional rules.
- Modern dictionaries try to be descriptive rather than prescriptive about new slang words.
- Her research takes a descriptive approach to spoken English in online videos.
- The course introduces students to descriptive linguistics and language variation.
- He argues that teachers need both descriptive and prescriptive tools in the classroom.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- This book is about descriptive grammar, not school rules.
- Descriptive linguistics looks at real speech.
- A descriptive dictionary shows how people really use words.
- The teacher gave a descriptive, not prescriptive, explanation of the phrase.
- Many modern grammars are more descriptive today.
adjective
formal
C1
property
4
only describing facts or features
Only telling what something is like or what happened, without saying why or trying to change it.
Padrão de uso:
descriptive [study/account/report]; [analysis] is mainly descriptive
Erro comum:
Learners may think "descriptive" here always means "very detailed." In academic and research contexts, the key idea is that the work only describes what is seen, without explaining causes or giving solutions. They also sometimes confuse this with creative, literary description; in research writing, "descriptive" is usually neutral and factual.
Sinónimos
non-analytical (Stresses that the work does not go deeply into reasons or causes, only reports what is seen.)
|
observational (Focuses on watching and recording what happens, similar to a descriptive approach in research contexts.)
Antónimos
analytical (Focuses on explaining or examining the reasons and structure behind the facts, not just describing them.)
|
interventionist (Implies actively trying to change a situation, which contrasts with a purely descriptive role.)
Colocações
descriptive study
|descriptive research
|descriptive account
|purely descriptive
|largely descriptive
Temas
science
|academia
|research
|communication
|education
Exemplos
- The first chapter provides a descriptive account of the region’s climate and geography.
- Our initial report is mainly descriptive; further analysis will explore why the changes occurred.
- This is a descriptive study of classroom behavior, without any attempt to influence the students.
- The article is more descriptive than analytical, simply listing the trends it observes.
- Her thesis begins with a descriptive overview of existing policies.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- The report is descriptive; it only tells what happened.
- This is a descriptive study of children in one school.
- The first part of the paper is descriptive and gives basic facts.
- Their work is mostly descriptive, not analytical.
- We wrote a short, descriptive account of the event.
Gramática
Forma de dicionário
descriptive
IPA
GB/dɪskɹˈɪptɪv/
US/dɪskɹˈɪptɪv/
Sílabas e acento
de - script - ive (3 sílabas)
Stress on 2nd syllable (script)
Formas da palavra
Adjective
- Base: descriptive
Família de palavras
Core family
Related words
describable
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
indescribable
adjective B2
indescribably
adverb
Advanced or less common
descriptor
noun
Expressões
descriptive of [something]
1/dɪskɹˈɪptɪv əv sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
formal
showing the typical features of something
Showing the usual or main qualities of something; giving a clear picture of what that thing is like.
Exemplos
- The painting is highly descriptive of village life in the 19th century.
- His comments are descriptive of the general attitude in the company.
- These numbers are descriptive of the problems we are facing in the city.