circumscribe
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to draw a line around; encircle.
to circumscribe a city on a map.
-
to enclose within bounds; limit or confine, especially narrowly.
Her social activities are circumscribed by school regulations.
-
to mark off; define; delimit.
to circumscribe the area of a science.
-
Geometry.
-
to draw (a figure) around another figure so as to touch as many points as possible.
-
(of a figure) to enclose (another figure) in this manner.
-
verb
-
to restrict within limits
-
to mark or set the bounds of
-
to draw a geometric construction around (another construction) so that the two are in contact but do not intersect Compare inscribe
-
to draw a line round
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
circumscribernoun
-
circumscribableadjective
-
uncircumscribedadjective
-
uncircumscribableadjective
-
noncircumscribedadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
have circumscribedperfect
-
has circumscribedperfect 3rd person singular
-
circumscribessingular 3rd person
-
is circumscribingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
circumscribingparticiple
-
have been circumscribingperfect progressive
-
are circumscribingprogressive
-
has been circumscribingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
am circumscribingprogressive 1st person singular
Past
-
had circumscribedperfect
-
had been circumscribingperfect progressive
-
were circumscribingprogressive plural
-
circumscribedparticiple
-
was circumscribingprogressive singular
-
circumscribedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of circumscribe
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin circumscrībere, equivalent to circum- circum- + scrībere to write
Explanation
To circumscribe is to limit or restrict. If you spend too much time watching TV instead of fulfilling other obligations, you might circumscribe your TV-watching time to one hour daily (or two hours, if your favorite show is on). Circumscribe comes from the Latin words circum, meaning "around," and scribere, meaning "to write." If the word circumscribe causes you to think of geometry class, give yourself a pat on the back. In geometry, circumscribe means to draw one geometric figure around another figure so that the two figures touch but don’t intersect. If you studied geometry but this sounds unfamiliar, perhaps you should have taken our advice about watching too much TV.
Vocabulary lists containing circumscribe
300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Write Stuff: Scrib, Script
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Around and Around: Circum
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Circumscribe, sėr-kum-skrīb′, v.t. to draw a line round: to enclose within certain limits, to curtail, abridge.—adj.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
