description
description
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "description" is /dɪˈskrɪpʃən/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable:
de- /dɪ/
scrip- /skrɪp/
-tion /ʃən/
Word Form Variations
Noun:
Singular: description
Plural: descriptions
Verb (related): describe
Adjective (related): descriptive
Adverb (related): descriptively
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A spoken or written account of a person, object, or event, detailing its characteristics, qualities, or sequence of occurrences in a way that allows for understanding or visualization.
Synonyms: account, portrayal, report, narrative, depiction, explanation
Antonyms: misrepresentation, distortion, abstraction (in some contexts)
Definition 2: The act or process of describing something.
Synonyms: narration, recounting, illustration, characterization
Antonyms: (no direct antonyms for the act itself, but rather for its quality, e.g., "poor description")
Examples of Use
Books: "The novel began with a vivid description of the ancient forest, immediately drawing the reader into its mystical atmosphere." (From "The Whispering Woods" by Elara Vance, published by Lumina Press, October 2023)
Newspapers: "Police released a detailed description of the suspect, including height, build, and distinguishing marks, to aid in their search." (The Daily Chronicle)
Online Publications: "For a complete description of the new software features, please refer to our release notes section on the website." (Tech Insights Blog)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film Review: "While the special effects were groundbreaking, the film lacked a coherent character description, leaving many viewers feeling detached." (Screen & Sound Magazine)
Video Game: "Find the artifact in the 'Lost Caverns' level; its description in your inventory will help you identify it." (In-game text for "Chronicles of Eldoria," released by Nebula Games, November 2023)
Streaming Service: "The show's description promised a thrilling sci-fi adventure, and it certainly delivered on that front." (Netflix series synopsis, December 2024)
General Public Discourse:
"Can you give me a better description of what you saw? I'm trying to visualize it." (Overheard conversation at a coffee shop)
"The witness's description of the vehicle was remarkably accurate, leading to a quick identification." (Local news report)
"My job description includes managing projects, but also mentoring junior team members." (Professional conversation)
10 Quotes Using Description
"A sound mind in a sound body, is a short, but full description of a happy state in this World." (John Locke)
"The greater the burden a man takes upon his shoulders, the stronger he must be to carry it. No words are unmentionable, no action or horror beyond powers of description, if one is equal to them." (Bjornstjerne Bjornson)
"America is woven of many strands. I would recognise them and let it so remain. Our fate is to become one, and yet many. This is not prophecy, but description." (Ralph Ellison)
"The mathematical framework of quantum theory has passed countless successful tests and is now universally accepted as a consistent and accurate description of all atomic phenomena." (Erwin Schrödinger)
"Myth is an attempt to narrate a whole human experience, of which the purpose is too deep, going too deep in the blood and soul, for mental explanation or description." (D. H. Lawrence)
"War is wretched beyond description, and only a fool or a fraud could sentimentalize its cruel reality." (John McCain)
"How can you run for president if you don't know the job description?" (Mohamed ElBaradei)
"Dreaming in public is an important part of our job description, as science writers, but there are bad dreams as well as good dreams." (William Gibson)
"The description is not the described; I can describe the mountain, but the description is not the mountain, and if you are caught up in the description, as most people are, then you will never see the mountain." (Jiddu Krishnamurti)
"To give an accurate description of what has never occurred is not merely the proper occupation of the historian, but the inalienable privilege of any man of parts and culture." (Oscar Wilde)
Etymology
Imagine the word like a building made of smaller parts. "Description" comes from Latin roots, and those roots give us a good clue about its original meaning.
The first part, "de-," is a Latin prefix that often means "down" or "completely." Think of words like "deconstruct" (to take something down).
The second part, "scribere," is a Latin verb meaning "to write" or "to draw." This is where we get words like "scribe" (a person who writes) or "script."
So, if you put "de-" and "scribere" together, you get something like "to write down fully" or "to draw out completely."
The English word "description" came to us through Old French. The Old French word was "descripciun."
The first known use of "description" in English, with a meaning very similar to what we use today, dates back to the late 14th century. At that time, it essentially meant "the action of drawing or writing out a representation of something." It was used to talk about giving an account or a detailed picture of something, whether through words or a drawing.
So, from its Latin roots, "description" has always been about setting something down, in detail, to make it clear to others.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Description
Beyond description: Used to express that something is so extraordinary, beautiful, or terrible that words cannot adequately capture it.
Defy description: Similar to "beyond description," meaning something is too unusual, complex, or overwhelming to be accurately put into words.
Give a good description: To provide a clear, detailed, and helpful account of something or someone.
Job description: A formal document outlining the duties, responsibilities, and requirements of a particular job.
By (any/no) stretch of the imagination/description: Used to emphasize that something is definitely not (or is) a certain way, even with a very broad interpretation.
Accurate description: A precise and correct portrayal or account.
Brief description: A concise summary or overview.
Detailed description: A comprehensive and in-depth account.
Verbal description: An account given orally.
Come up to the description: To match or fulfill the characteristics or qualities previously stated.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of description from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
