English
description
Description comes from Old French description, from Latin dēscrīptiō, from dēscrībō ‘to describe’, from dē- + scrībō ‘to write’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)kréybʰetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*skreiβō‘to carve’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEscrībō‘write’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēscrībō‘to describe’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēscrīptiōnoun of action of dēscrībō
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400description
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500descripcioun
- Englishtodaydescription
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)kréybʰetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*skreiβō‘to carve’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEscrībō‘write’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēscrībō‘to describe’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēscrīptiōnoun of action of dēscrībō
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400description
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500descripcioun
- Englishtodaydescription
Formed from describe + -tion
Latin dēscrībō ‘to copy off’
Old French descrivre ‘to describe’
Middle English descriven
English describe
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *(s)kréybʰeti
through Proto-Italic *skreiβō ‘to carve’
scripture, transcript, prescription, inscription, shriver, transcribe, ascribe, scriptural, conscription, inscribe, conscript, 28 more
through Latin scrībō ‘write’
script, prescribe, scribe, scribble, shrift, scrivener, 37 more
through Latin dēscrībō ‘to describe’
Today it means
noun A sketch or account of anything in words; a portraiture or representation in language; an enumeration of the essential qualities of a thing or species.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *(s)kréybʰeti / description