Descriptor may refer to:
*An
identifier
An identifier is a name that identifies (that is, labels the identity of) either a unique object or a unique ''class'' of objects, where the "object" or class may be an idea, person, physical countable object (or class thereof), or physical mass ...
Information technology
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Short Payment Descriptor, a compact data format for an easy exchange of a payment information using modern electronic channels
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Data descriptor In computing, a data descriptor is a structure containing information that describes data.
Data descriptors may be used in compilers, as a software structure at run time in languages like Ada or PL/I, or as a hardware structure in some computers ...
, a software or hardware structure describing data
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Visual descriptors, a representation of visual features in image or video
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Security descriptor, a Windows data structure containing security information
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Segment descriptor
In memory addressing for Intel x86 computer architectures, segment descriptors are a part of the segmentation unit, used for translating a logical address to a linear address. Segment descriptors describe the memory segment referred to in the logi ...
, used for memory addressing in x86 computer architectures
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Index term
In information retrieval, an index term (also known as subject term, subject heading, descriptor, or keyword) is a term that captures the essence of the topic of a document. Index terms make up a controlled vocabulary for use in bibliographic recor ...
, also known as a "descriptor" in information retrieval
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File descriptor
In Unix and Unix-like computer operating systems, a file descriptor (FD, less frequently fildes) is a process-unique identifier (handle) for a file or other input/output resource, such as a pipe or network socket.
File descriptors typically h ...
, an abstract key for accessing a file
Chemistry
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Molecular descriptor, which helps characterize a chemical compound
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Descriptor (chemistry), a prefix used to specify a chemical name
Other
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Billing descriptor, the merchant's name that appears on a credit card statement
See also
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Epithet
An epithet (, ), also a byname, is a descriptive term (word or phrase) commonly accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a real or fictitious person, place, or thing. It is usually literally descriptive, as in Alfred the Great, Suleima ...
, a descriptive term (word or phrase), accompanying or occurring in place of a name and having entered common usage
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