Sanctioned or authorized by long-standing custom or usage.
Making or giving injunctions, directions, laws, or rules.
Law Acquired by or based on uninterrupted possession.
Linguistics Based on or establishing norms or rules indicating how a language should or should not be used rather than describing the ways in which a language is used.
Main Entry: pre·scrip·tive Pronunciation: pri-'skrip-tiv Function: adjective 1: serving to prescribe <prescriptive rules> 2: acquired by, founded on, or constituting prescription prescriptive right> prescriptive period>