descriptor | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

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late 14c., descripcioun, "act of delineating or depicting," from Old French description (12c.) and directly from Latin descriptionem (nominative descriptio) "representation, description, copy," noun of action from past-participle stem of describere "write down, transcribe, copy, sketch," from de "down" (see de-) + scribere "to write" (from PIE root *skribh- "to cut"). Via the notion of "qualities which represent a class or individual" comes the sense "type, sort, kind" (1781).

*skribh-

*skrībh-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to cut, separate, sift;" an extended form of root *sker- (1) "to cut."

It forms all or part of: ascribe; ascription; circumscribe; conscript; conscription; describe; description; festschrift; inscribe; inscription; manuscript; postscript; prescribe; prescription; proscribe; sans-serif; scribble; scribe; script; scriptorium; scripture; scrivener; serif; shrift; shrive; subscribe; superscribe; superscript; transcribe; scarification; scarify.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Greek skariphasthai "to scratch an outline, sketch;" Latin scribere "to write" (to carve marks in wood, stone, clay, etc.); Lettish skripat "scratch, write;" Old Norse hrifa "scratch."

geography (n.)

"the science of description of the earth's surface in its present condition," 1540s, from French géographie (15c.), from Latin geographia, from Greek geographia "description of the earth's surface," from geo- "earth" + -graphia "description" (see -graphy).

bromatography (n.)

"a description of foods," 1844, from combining form of Greek brōma "food" + -graphy "a writing, recording, or description."

angiography (n.)

1731, "description of the vessels of the body" (blood and nymph), from angio- "blood vessel" + -graphy.

topography (n.)

early 15c., "description of a place," from Late Latin topographia, from Greek topographia "a description of a place," from topos "place" (see topos) + -graphia (see -graphy). Meaning "collective features of a region" is from 1847. Related: Topographic; topographical; topographically.

describable (adj.)

"able to be described, capable of description," 1670s; see describe + -able.

delineation (n.)

1560s, "act of representing or depicting;" 1590s, "representation, description;" a native formation from delineate, or else from Late Latin delineationem (nominative delineatio) "sketch, description," noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin delineare (see delineate).

hydrography (n.)

"science of the measurement and description of the sea," 1550s, from hydro- + -graphy. Related: Hydrographic.

craniography (n.)

"a description of skulls," 1855; see cranio- + -graphy. Related: Craniographer; craniographic.

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