describe

verb

(transitive) To represent in words.

(transitive) To represent by drawing; to draw a plan of; to delineate; to trace or mark out.

(transitive, taxonomy) To introduce a new taxon to science by explaining its characteristics and particularly how it differs from other taxa.

(transitive, mathematics) To give rise to a geometrical structure.

(obsolete, transitive) To distribute into parts, groups, or classes; to mark off; to class.

Roots

scriboscrib- · Latin · write

Synonyms for describe

depictv delineatev identifyv characterizev distinguishv explainv definev portrayv relatev specifyv interpretv limnv reportn representv

Synonyms & related words for describe

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of describe — including depict, delineate, identify, characterize, distinguish, explain. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to describe

Explore words related to describe — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include characterizer, describable, misdefine, illustrate, descriptive, description, refers, exemplify. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for describe

Common synonyms for describe include depict, delineate, identify, characterize, distinguish, explain, define, portray — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does describe come from?

The word describe breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root scrib-, from Latin scribo (“write”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.