Origin: 1400–50; late Middle English describen <
Latin dēscrībere, equivalent to
dē- de- +
scrībere to write
Related forms de·scrib·a·ble, adjective
de·scrib·a·bil·i·ty, noun
de·scrib·a·bly, adverb
de·scrib·er, noun
non·de·scrib·a·ble, adjective
o·ver·de·scribe, verb (used with object), o·ver·de·scribed, o·ver·de·scrib·ing.
pre·de·scribe, verb (used with object), pre·de·scribed, pre·de·scrib·ing.
re·de·scribe, verb (used with object), re·de·scribed, re·de·scrib·ing.
self-de·scribed, adjective
un·de·scrib·a·ble, adjective
un·de·scrib·a·ble·ness, noun
un·de·scrib·a·bly, adverb
un·de·scribed, adjective
well-de·scribed, adjective
Synonyms
1. portray, characterize, represent; recount, tell, relate. Describe, narrate agree in the idea of giving an account of something. To describe is to convey in words the appearance, nature, attributes, etc., of something. The word often implies vividness of personal observation: to describe a scene, an event. To narrate is to recount the occurrence of something, usually by giving the details of an event or events in the order of their happening. Narrate thus applies only to that which happens in time: to narrate an incident.