1. Plural of descriptivism; philosophical or linguistic positions that prioritize describing how language is actually used rather than prescribing how it should be used.
Usage: linguistics; philosophy of language; formal/academic

Examples

• Modern linguists often favor descriptivisms over rigid prescriptive rules.
• The debate between prescriptivism and descriptivisms has shaped language education for decades.
• Descriptivisms allow us to understand dialects and regional variations without judgment.
• Many contemporary dictionaries reflect descriptivisms by including colloquial and informal terms.
• Scholars of descriptivisms argue that language naturally evolves with its speakers.