Description is a detailed narration about something or someone, which happens through the enumeration of characteristics or events.
A description is marked by the presence of connecting verbs (to be, to be, to appear, etc.). These verbs do not seek to express actions, but rather to connect the subject to the characteristics that one wishes to mention in the report.
Examples:
- The man was tall, thin and looked worried.
- Carolina was excited and nervous at the same time.
- The climate of the place was cold and rainy.
The term comes from the Latin description, which is the act of representing something or someone faithful to reality.
the main description synonyms are: presentation, exposition, explanation and definition.
Description Types
Denotative description: also called objective description. It's the kind of literal description that exposes the concrete characteristics of something or someone.
Examples:
- The toy was round and yellow.
- Joana's hair is black and long.
connotative description: also called subjective description, gives a figurative meaning to words. In this type of description, the context is fundamental so that the desired connotation is clear.
Examples:
- That day, luck smiled on Ricardo.
- Caesar's belly clenched in pain.
It is worth clarifying that a description (whether verbal or textual) can be both denotative and connotative.
Description and discretion
The term description should not be confused with discretion, which is the quality of a discreet and reserved person. So don't forget: it's not possible to "describe" something, nor ask someone to be "discrete".
See too:
- Discretion
- Discriminate and Discriminate