descriptivism

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noun

The practice of describing realistic forms, as opposed to prescribing idealistic norms, of linguistic usage.

Opposite
prescriptivism
Scrabble 23
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Meanings

noundescriptivism (usually uncountable, plural descriptivisms)

plural descriptivisms

  1. uncountableusuallyhuman sciencesThe practice of describing realistic forms, as opposed to prescribing idealistic norms, of linguistic usage.

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
prescriptivism

Origin

From descriptive + -ism. * Audio (Southern England): (file)

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan descriptivisme
  • descriptivismedescribing realistic language forms
Czech deskriptivismus
  • deskriptivismusdescribing realistic language forms
Finnish deskriptiivinen kielioppi
  • deskriptiivinen kielioppidescribing realistic language forms
French descriptivisme
  • descriptivismedescribing realistic language forms
German Deskriptivismus, deskriptive Linguistik
  • Deskriptivismusdescribing realistic language forms
  • deskriptive Linguistikdescribing realistic language forms
Greek περιγραφική γλωσσολογία
  • περιγραφική γλωσσολογία (perigrafikí glossología)describing realistic language forms
Hungarian deskriptivizmus
  • deskriptivizmusdescribing realistic language forms
Indonesian deskriptivisme
  • deskriptivismedescribing realistic language forms
Italian descrittivismo
  • descrittivismodescribing realistic language forms
Japanese 記述主義
  • 記述主義 (kijutsushugi)describing realistic language forms
Polish deskryptywizm
  • deskryptywizmdescribing realistic language forms
Portuguese descritivismo
  • descritivismodescribing realistic language forms
Romanian descriptivism
  • descriptivismdescribing realistic language forms
Russian дескриптивизм
  • дескриптивизм (deskriptivizm)describing realistic language forms
Slovak deskriptivizmus
  • deskriptivizmusdescribing realistic language forms
Spanish descriptivismo
  • descriptivismodescribing realistic language forms
Tagalog pagkalarawanin
  • pagkalarawanindescribing realistic language forms
Ukrainian дескриптивізм
  • дескриптивізм (deskryptyvizm)describing realistic language forms
Cite this entry
APA

descriptivism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/descriptivism

MLA

“descriptivism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/descriptivism. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “descriptivism,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/descriptivism.

Source: descriptivism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.