WordWeb Online

1. (linguistics) the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
   "the inflected descriptors of a word can be represented by a stem and a list of inflections to be attached";
   - form, word form, signifier
    
2. (computing) a piece of stored information that is used to identify an item in an information storage and retrieval system

Derived forms: descriptors

Type of: information, word

Encyclopedia: Descriptor