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Proscription vs Prescriptive - What's the difference?

proscription | prescriptive |

As a noun proscription

is a prohibition.

As an adjective prescriptive is

of or pertaining to prescribing or enjoining, especially an action or behavior based on a norm or standard.

proscription

Noun

(en noun)
  • A prohibition.
  • (history) Decree of condemnation toward one or more persons, especially in the Roman antiquity.
  • * 1837 , Alfred John Church and William Jackson Brodribb,
  • He was wholly unopposed, for the boldest spirits had fallen in battle, or in the proscription [...]
  • The act of proscribing, or its result.
  • A decree or law that prohibits.
  • Usage notes

    * Do not confuse with prescription

    prescriptive

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Of or pertaining to prescribing or enjoining, especially an action or behavior based on a norm or standard.
  • *
  • For one thing, spoken language tends to be less subjected to prescriptive
    pressures than written language, and hence is a less artificial medium of com-
    munication (written language is often a kind of 'censored' version of spoken
    language). [...]

    Synonyms

    * normative

    Antonyms

    * descriptive (especially of grammar and usage) * proscriptive

    Derived terms

    * prescriptiveness