prescriptive

adjective/prɪˈskrɪptɪv/

Frequency rank: #16,182 most common English word

Meaning

Stating rules or norms that tell people how something should be done, rather than describing how it is actually done.

Illustration for the English word “prescriptive”

Example sentence

Some teachers prefer descriptive grammar, while others take prescriptive approach to language use.

Synonyms & related words

Practice this word in the quiz

More words in ranks 16,101–16,200