Popisný

Popisné is a Czech term meaning descriptive, used in linguistic and grammatical contexts to denote a class of adjectives that describe intrinsic features of a noun. In this sense, popisné přídavné jméno (descriptive adjective) provides information about qualities such as color, material, size, shape, or origin, rather than expressing a relationship or a speaker’s evaluation.

In Czech grammar the descriptive adjectives agree with the noun in gender, number, and case and typically appear before the noun they modify. Examples of descriptive usage include phrases like dřevěný stůl (wooden table) or černé pero (black pen), where the adjectives describe observable properties. The form popisné itself is the neuter singular or plural ending of the adjective popisný, which means “descriptive.” The concept also helps distinguish descriptive adjectives from other categories, such as relational adjectives that denote a relation (for example lokace or ownership) or evaluative adjectives that convey the speaker’s attitude.

Etymologically, popisné derives from popis, description, plus the standard Czech adjectival suffix -ný, forming a conventional grammatical category. In educational and reference works, the notion of popisné adjectives aids learners and researchers in classifying adjectives by function rather than by form alone. The range of descriptive adjectives encompasses color, material, size, shape, origin, and other inherent properties of nouns, and they can participate in gradation and compounding, depending on context. See also: adjective, Czech grammar, descriptive adjective, color and material adjectives.