Proscriptive vs. Prescriptive — What's the Difference?

The act of proscribing; prohibition.

Relating to or making rules, laws, or directions

The condition of having been proscribed; outlawry.

(Linguistics) Based on or establishing norms or rules indicating how a language should or should not be used rather than describing the ways in which a language is used.

Proscribing or prohibiting, for example as according to a norm or standard

(Law) Of or relating to acquisition or occupancy by prescription.

Of or pertaining to proscription; consisting in, or of the nature of, proscription; proscribing.

(Archaic) Sanctioned or authorized by long-standing custom or usage.

Of or pertaining to prescribing or enjoining, especially an action or behavior based on a norm or standard.

Consisting in, or acquired by, immemorial or long-continued use and enjoyment; as, a prescriptive right of title; pleading the continuance and authority of long custom.

Of or pertaining to the doctrine that acceptable grammatical rules should be prescribed by authority, rather than be determined by common usage.

Giving directives or rules;

Based on or prescribing a norm or standard;