# description vs descriptor

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### description
*noun · IPA /dɪˈskɹɪpʃən/ · frequency rank #1,894*
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.

### descriptor
*noun · IPA /dɪˈskɹɪptə(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #36,519*
That which describes; a word, phrase, etc. serving as a description.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/description-vs-descriptor