purview

[ pur-vyoo ]

noun

1. the range of operation, authority, control, concern, etc.

   Synonyms: extent, compass, responsibility, scope

2. the range of vision, insight, or understanding.
3. Law.
   1. that which is provided or enacted in a statute, as distinguished from the preamble.
   2. the purpose or scope of a statute.
4. the full scope or compass of any document, statement, subject, book, etc.

purview

/ ˈpɜːvjuː /

noun

1. the scope of operation or concern of something
2. the breadth or range of outlook or understanding
3. law the body of a statute, containing the enacting clauses

Word History and Origins

Origin of purview¹

First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English purveu, from Anglo-French: past participle of purveier “to furnish or supply”; purvey

Word History and Origins

Origin of purview¹

C15: from Anglo-Norman purveu, from porveeir to furnish; see purvey

Example Sentences

The rumors largely targeted the Army Medical Department, which had, with the arrival of war, suddenly assumed control over the health of the millions of young men brought within its purview.

From Washington Post

Berend estimated the size of that team to be no more than 10 employees whose purview spans digital video platforms like YouTube, streaming platforms like ViacomCBS’s Pluto TV and NBCUniversal’s own digital sites and apps.

From Digiday

He traded about 200 stocks in different industries, some of which fall within the purview of his position on Senate committees and his prior position in the private sector.

From Fortune

The organization falls under the purview of the Senate Banking Committee, which Perdue sits on.

From ProPublica

This kind of chance evolution is the purview of neutral theory, the historically controversial idea that “survival of the fittest” isn’t the only, or even the most common, way that species change, split or disappear.

From Quanta Magazine

From his purview, our visit and interest had brought excitement to him and his peers.

From The Daily Beast

Heated and offensive Facebook comments are by no means the exclusive purview of Republican officials.

From The Daily Beast

I have recently established a web site containing a summary of what actually will be done within the purview of our research.

From The Daily Beast

Treaty compliance issues are the purview of the State Department.

From The Daily Beast

To revise, as they do, the landay tradition, once the sole purview of man, is to risk death.

From The Daily Beast

These are among the questions that have influenced the mind of the writer in considering the purview of his book.

From Project Gutenberg

Up to then, the English national purview had been almost wholly insular and focussed on the Continent.

From Project Gutenberg

The field which he included in his purview was wide—almost as wide as our national life.

From Project Gutenberg

Simultaneously Robert and I removed ourselves from the purview of the door.

From Project Gutenberg

Who can doubt that Dress is a matter properly coming within purview of religion?

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bounds
• confines
• domain