descriptive

[/dɪˈskrɪptɪv/]
adjective
descritivo
1. Serving to describe or giving a description of something; characterized by description rather than narration or analysis
The novel contains descriptive passages about the landscape.
O romance contém passagens descritivas sobre a paisagem.
2. In grammar, relating to or denoting adjectives or other words that describe qualities or characteristics
In the phrase 'a beautiful house,' the word 'beautiful' is descriptive.
Na frase 'uma casa bonita', a palavra 'bonita' é descritiva.
3. Concerned with or based on what is observed rather than theoretical or prescriptive
Descriptive linguistics focuses on how language is actually used.
A linguística descritiva concentra-se em como a língua é realmente usada.
In educational contexts, both in the USA and Brazil, 'descriptive' is commonly used in academic writing to distinguish between subjective description and objective analysis. In Portuguese-speaking countries, 'descritivo' is a formal term frequently employed in academic discourse, linguistics, and writing pedagogy.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
illustrativedepictiveexpressivecharacterizingdelineative
Antonyms / Antônimos
prescriptivenormativenarrativeanalytical

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
descritivo
Standard usage across all regions
Rio de Janeiro
descritivo
Common in academic and literary contexts
São Paulo
descritivo
Widely used in business and technical writing
Portugal
descritivo
Identical usage; standard European Portuguese

Related Words

descriptiondescriptivelydescribedescriptordetailedvivid

Related Idioms & Phrases

descriptive essay
descriptive statistics
descriptive grammar
highly descriptive language
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