descriptor

descriptor — noun

1. A term or short phrase that identifies a particular quality, feature, or categor

1.nounB2
Definition

A term or short phrase that identifies a particular quality, feature, or category of someone or something.

Example

The job advertisement listed 'flexible' and 'dynamic' as key descriptors for the ideal candidate.

key descriptor + for + [role/candidate]

Chidi squinted at the strange colour of the sky, hunting for a suitable descriptor.

Common collocations
  • key descriptor
  • useful descriptor
  • common descriptor
  • perfect descriptor
  • serve as a descriptor
Synonyms
  • label

    more fixed than descriptor; often implies a category assigned to a person or product

  • tag

    more informal and temporary than descriptor; often used in digital contexts

  • identifier

    focuses on distinguishing one item from others, while descriptor highlights a quality

  • term

    broader than descriptor; any word or expression with a specific meaning in a field

Common Mistakes

The report gave a good descriptor of the situation.
The report gave a good description of the situation.
a descriptor is a single label or term, whereas a description is a detailed account.

2. An official written summary of the topics, learning objectives, and requirements

2.nounB2
Definition

An official written summary of the topics, learning objectives, and requirements that a particular educational course or programme covers.

Example

Salma read the course descriptor carefully before deciding to enrol in the programme.

course descriptor + before + [decision]

The university updated the descriptor for the history module to include new seminar topics.

Common collocations
  • course descriptor
  • module descriptor
  • programme descriptor
  • read the descriptor
  • update the descriptor
Synonyms
  • syllabus

    more specific to a term-by-term outline of topics and readings; descriptor is a broader summary

  • course outline

    interchangeable in many educational contexts, but descriptor is the official term used in academic records

  • programme overview

    typically refers to a whole degree rather than a single course

Usage Note

Frequently found in university prospectuses, course catalogues, and academic programme websites.

3. A small piece of data, such as a tag, code, or attribute, attached to a digital

3.nounC1
Definition

A small piece of data, such as a tag, code, or attribute, attached to a digital file or set of information to identify its type, structure, or purpose.

Example

The image file contains a descriptor recording the camera model and shutter speed at capture.

file contains a descriptor [verb]ing [metadata]

Aarav wrote a script to extract the metadata descriptor from each document in the database.

Common collocations
  • file descriptor
  • data descriptor
  • metadata descriptor
  • unique descriptor
  • numeric descriptor
  • feature descriptor
Synonyms
  • metadata tag

    a type of descriptor that is specifically embedded in a file's metadata

  • identifier

    focuses on unique identification; a descriptor may also describe qualities, not just identity

  • attribute

    a property of a data item; descriptor often refers to a label that names that property

  • marker

    less formal; marks a position or status rather than describing structure

Usage Note

Common in computing and information science when referring to file systems, databases, and metadata standards. Also appears in data science contexts (e.g., feature descriptor in machine learning).

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Descriptors, terms, labels, tags, and identifiers all refer to words or symbols used to name or classify things, but they differ in scope and context. A descriptor highlights a quality or feature — 'spicy' describes salsa, 'vintage' describes a chair. A term is any word with a fixed meaning in a specialised field (e.g., 'photosynthesis' in biology). A label tends to be a fixed category, often carrying social weight ('luxury' as a label for a brand). A tag is more casual and flexible, frequently used in digital organising (tagging a photo #sunset). An identifier is a unique code or name that sets one item apart from all others (a product ID). In everyday use, descriptor and label overlap, but descriptor feels more neutral and factual, while label often carries a judgement.

termlabel ↗tag ↗identifier ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • serve as a descriptor
  • use as a descriptor
  • act as a descriptor

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

The word 'descriptor' was formed in mid-20th-century English from the Latin verb 'dēscrībere' (to write down, copy, or sketch) combined with the agent suffix '-tor', which indicates something that performs an action. The Latin root itself breaks into 'dē-' (down) and 'scrībere' (to write). Originally used in linguistics and computing, the word later spread into general use as a neutral term for any word or phrase that names a quality.