description
Word family
- describeverbA2
- descriptiveadjectiveB1
- indescribableadjectiveB2
- descriptivelyadverbC1
- misdescriptionnounC2
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
All four words refer to telling what something is like, but they differ in scope and formality. An account focuses on factual reporting of events or situations — for example, a witness account of a robbery. A depiction is often linked to visual or artistic representation, though it can be verbal too; it tends toward formal or critical writing. A portrayal emphasizes how something is presented, sometimes with a subjective or interpretive angle, as in a portrayal of a historical figure in a film. A sketch is the lightest of the four — a brief, rough outline that gives only the main features without full detail, like a character sketch in a novel. Use description as the general term; use account when reporting events factually, depiction for artistic or analytic writing, portrayal when interpretation matters, and sketch for quick summaries.
Common collocations
Etymology
Description entered English in the 14th century from Old French 'descripcion', which came from Latin 'descriptionem' — a noun formed from 'describere', meaning 'to write down, copy, or sketch'. The Latin verb breaks down into 'de-' (down, from) and 'scribere' (to write). So at its root, description means 'writing down' — a fitting origin for a word about putting things into words.