Definition of "descriptor" [descriptor]

• Computer Science A word, phrase, or alphanumeric character used to identify an item in an information storage and retrieval system. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The real reason the gay movement seeks the term marriage as a descriptor is the thinking that this confers acceptability to homosexuality."
• "On Martha's shows, the main descriptor of EVERYTHING is "nice"."
• "What I was going to say was that "geek" as a descriptor is no longer constrained to the technical professions, at least in my peer group."