Word · CEFR C1 · Frequency #20898
nondescript
难以归类的人；不起眼的人
a person who is not easily classified and is not very interesting
- 1.
A species or other type of creature that has not been previously described or identified.
先前未被描述或鉴定的物种或其他类型的生物。
- 2.
An undistinguished, unexceptional person or thing.
平凡、无特色的人或事物。
先前未被描述或鉴定的物种或其他类型的生物。；平凡、无特色的人或事物。；难以名状的事物；不属任何类型的人
In use
At the train station, a nondescript in a worn coat waited quietly, but no one gave him a second glance.
The detective asked the clerk to describe the visitor, but the clerk could only say he was just another nondescript.
Among all the finalists, she felt like a complete nondescript, even though her project had won an award.
a nondescript + noun
形容词义：作定语修饰名词，表示某物普通、没有特色。
They live in a nondescript apartment block.
他们住在一栋毫无特色的公寓楼里。
look + nondescript
形容词义：也可放在 look、be 等系动词后作表语，强调外观或给人的印象。
The building looks nondescript from the outside.
这座大楼从外面看起来很不起眼。
be a nondescript
Connections
Collocations
- nondescript building
- 不起眼的建筑
- The office is in a nondescript building on a side street.办公室位于一条小巷里一栋不起眼的建筑中。
- nondescript appearance
- 平淡无奇的外表
- Despite his nondescript appearance, he was a brilliant scientist.尽管他外表平平，他却是一位杰出的科学家。
- nondescript clothes
- 不起眼的衣服
- She wore nondescript clothes to avoid being noticed.她穿着不起眼的衣服以避免引人注意。
- nondescript town
- 平淡无奇的小镇
- They passed through a nondescript town without stopping.他们经过一个平淡无奇的小镇，没有停留。
- nondescript face
- 难以记住的普通面孔
- He had a nondescript face that was hard to remember.他长着一张难以记住的普通面孔。
Learner notes
Memory Tip
记忆：non（不）+ descript（描述）→ 平凡得难以描述，毫无特色、不引人注意。
Context & Register
语域：formal 常见场景：formal writing、literary narration 作名词时多用于正式或文学语境，指难以归类或不起眼的人。
Pronunciation & Spelling
这些词都以“-script”结尾，其中 script、manuscript、transcript、postscript 的末尾读音都是 /skrɪpt/。但按所给读音，nondescript 的重音在第一个音节（/ˈnɒndiskrɪpt/），所以末尾的 -script 不是重读音节，不与 script 严格押韵；若按常见读音把重音放在最后音节（/ˌnɒndɪˈskrɪpt/），则与 script 押韵。注意 description 和 prescription 是拼写近似但读音不同的词，它们以 -scription 结尾，读作 /skrɪpʃən/，不是 /skrɪpt/。
Learn the forms together
页面下方列出了常见词形变化。学习时注意它们在句子中的语法位置。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, OCTANOVE, WIKTIONARY.