circumscribe

Where does the word "circumscribe" come from? It comes from Latin circumscribere, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).

Circumscribe’s story begins in Latin: circumscribere meant “to draw a line around.” To draw a line around, from circum- (around) and scribere (to write). It reached English by 1400s as circumscribe. Settled as the English word for restricting something within limits. Today, circumscribe means to restrict or limit something within certain boundaries.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient circumscribere "to draw a line around", to draw a line around, from circum- (around) and scribere (to write).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1400s circumscribe "to restrict something within limits", settled as the English word for restricting something within limits.