description
B1Formal and Informal; common across all registers.
Definition
Meaning
A spoken or written representation that explains the qualities, features, or details of a person, object, place, or event.
A general category or type of thing, as in 'items of that description'; also, the act or process of describing something.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Noun. While 'description' is primarily a representation, it often implies selection of salient details rather than an exhaustive account. Can function metalinguistically in phrases like 'beyond description' (ineffable).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. The main difference is in the verb form 'describe'; BrE is more likely to use the noun adjunct 'description form' where AmE might say 'description sheet'.
Connotations
Identical. Both treat it as a neutral, factual term.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
give/provide a description (of N)the description of Na description that + clausefit/match a descriptionbeyond descriptionVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “beyond description”
- “beggar description”
- “answer (to) the description”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in job descriptions, product listings, and project specifications.
Academic
Used to detail methodologies, observations, and theoretical models.
Everyday
Used to recount events, describe people or places, and explain needs.
Technical
Used in software documentation (e.g., meta description), scientific classification, and engineering specs.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Could you describe the suspect for our records?
- The report describes the incident in minute detail.
American English
- Please describe your symptoms to the doctor.
- The witness described the car as a blue sedan.
adverb
British English
- He spoke very descriptively about the landscape.
American English
- She writes descriptively about urban life.
adjective
British English
- The guide was wonderfully descriptive.
- She has a very descriptive writing style.
American English
- He gave a highly descriptive account of his travels.
- The manual needs more descriptive labels.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I read the description of the hotel online.
- Can you give me a description of your bag?
- The police asked for a detailed description of the stolen bike.
- Her description of the party made me wish I'd been there.
- The product description failed to mention several key limitations.
- His report provided a lucid description of the complex process.
- The novel's description of post-war society is both poignant and incisive.
- The legal description of the property boundaries was appended to the contract.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'SCRIPT' inside 'description'—you write a script to describe a scene.
Conceptual Metaphor
DESCRIPTION IS A PICTURE/REPRESENTATION (e.g., 'paint a vivid description').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'описание' for a very short label or title; 'description' implies more detail.
- In phrases like 'of every description', it means 'type/kind', not a literal description.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'explanation' and 'description' interchangeably (an explanation tells *why*, a description tells *what*).
- Misspelling as 'discription'.
- Using the countable noun without an article ('He gave description' is wrong; 'He gave a description' is correct).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'description' used to mean 'type' or 'kind'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A description details what something is like (its features, appearance). An explanation tells why or how something happens or works.
It is primarily countable (e.g., 'a description', 'several descriptions'). It can be uncountable when referring to the act or process (e.g., 'the art of description').
Yes, frequently. For example, a 'description of goods' in a contract or a 'legal description' of a parcel of land.
The most common preposition is 'of' (a description of something). You can also use 'for' in contexts like 'a description for a job ad'.
Collections
Part of a collection
Literary Language
C1 · 48 words · Vocabulary for reading and writing about literature.