delineative

de·lin·e·ate

 (dĭ-lĭn′ē-āt′)

tr.v. de·lin·e·at·ed, de·lin·e·at·ing, de·lin·e·ates

1.

a. To draw or depict: "In black and white wash, he delineated the gnarled roots of a tree" (Sally Holmes Holtze).

b. To describe or characterize in words: "the specter of the bored and isolated housewife, which Friedan delineated so brilliantly" (Mary V. Dearborn).

2.

a. To mark, form, or show the outline or border of: The police delineated the crime scene with yellow tape. A hedge delineates one plot of land from the other.

b. To establish the position of (a border): The treaty delineates the border between Spanish and American territory.

c. To show or contain a distinguishing characteristic of; distinguish: "The first game ... delineated the differences between the two teams" (Stuart Miller).

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[Latin dēlīneāre, dēlīneāt- : dē-, de- + līnea, line, thread; see line¹.]

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de·lin′e·a′tion n.

de·lin′e·a′tive adj.

de·lin′e·a′tor n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus

Adj.

1.

delineative - depicted in a recognizable manner depictive representational - (used especially of art) depicting objects, figures,or scenes as seen; "representational art"; "representational images"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

delineative

adjective

Serving to describe:

descriptive, graphic, representative.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.