Theoretical vs Descriptive - What's the difference?
theoretical | descriptive |
Of or relating to description.
(grammar) Of an adjective, stating an attribute of the associated noun (as heavy'' in ''the heavy dictionary ).
(linguistics) Describing the structure, grammar, vocabulary and actual use of a language.
(science, philosophy) Describing and seeking to classify, as opposed to normative or prescriptive.
* {{quote-magazine, year=2012, month=March-April
, author=John T. Jost
, title=Social Justice: Is It in Our Nature (and Our Future)?
, volume=100, issue=2, page=162
, magazine=(American Scientist)
As adjectives the difference between theoretical and descriptive
is that theoretical is of or relating to theory; abstract; not empirical while descriptive is of or relating to description.As a noun descriptive is
an adjective (or other descriptive word.theoretical
English
Derived terms
* intertheoretical * intratheoretical * nontheoreticalCoordinate terms
* practicaldescriptive
English
Adjective
(en adjective)citation, passage=He draws eclectically on studies of baboons, descriptive anthropological accounts of hunter-gatherer societies and, in a few cases, the fossil record.}}