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# descriptor

noun (a descriptor, descriptors)

«descriptor» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A word or phrase that describes something or tells you what kind of thing it is. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/descriptor/#m1)
2. (formal, school) A sentence that explains what a pupil must show to reach a level or grade in a mark scheme. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/descriptor/#m2)
3. (computing) A label or piece of data that describes a file or item. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/descriptor/#m3)

### In the lessons

In English lessons descriptors are describing words, such as adjectives («tall», «spooky»). In tests and reports, «level descriptors» or «grade descriptors» tell teachers what work at each level looks like. In everyday talk it is a formal word; people usually say «word» or «description».

### Examples

- «Spooky» is a good descriptor for the old house. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/descriptor/#x1)
- Pick three descriptors for your main character. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/descriptor/#x2)
- The teacher read us the descriptors for each grade. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/descriptor/#x3)
- (formal) Candidates should consult the assessment descriptors. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/descriptor/#x4)
- «Large» and «huge» are both size descriptors. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/descriptor/#x5)
- (computing) Each file has a descriptor that tells the computer its type. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/descriptor/#x6)

### Note

Spelled -or, not -er. Formal and technical; in everyday speech use «describing word» or «description». Related: «describe», «description», «descriptive».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «descriptor» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/descriptor/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«descriptor» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/descriptor.html) on Mova free.