purview

[ pur-vyoo ]

/ ˈpɜr vyu /

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noun

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

the range of vision, insight, or understanding.

Law.

that which is provided or enacted in a statute, as distinguished from the preamble.
the purpose or scope of a statute.

the full scope or compass of any document, statement, subject, book, etc.

OTHER WORDS FOR purview

1 scope, responsibility, compass, extent.

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QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is commonly used with other verbs to express intention?

shall

should

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Origin of purview

First recorded in1225–75; Middle English purveu, from Anglo-French: past participle of purveier “to furnish or supply”; see origin at purvey

historical usage of purview

Purview comes from Anglo-French purveu, purveue, porveu (with other spelling variants) in the legal phrase purveu est (ke) “it is provided (that)” or purveu que “provided that.” The phrase occurs at or near the beginning of a statute or other legal document. The original (legal) sense “a provisional or qualifying clause; proviso” is now obsolete.
Purveu is the past participle of the verb porveeir, porveoir, purveer (and other variants) “to make available, provide, purvey,” from Latin prōvidēre “to see in advance, look ahead, take precautions, provide for, take measures.”
The current English spelling purview is due to the influence of view, itself from Anglo-French vew, vewe, vieu, vieue, view, ultimately from Vulgar Latin vidūta, the past participle of vidēre “to see.” Around the same time that we see the spelling purview, a metaphorical sense arose, “the range of operation, authority, control, concern, etc.,” a direct extension of the original sense. From this developed a more literal sense related to seeing, “the range of vision, insight, or understanding.”

Words nearby purview

Purús, purusha, purvey, purveyance, purveyor, purview, pus, Pusan, Pusey, Puseyism, push

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use purview in a sentence

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.
The key to combating conspiracy theories about coronavirus vaccines|Cameron Givens|February 1, 2021|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.
How NBC News is making ‘many millions’ of dollars on YouTube after adjusting its strategy|Tim Peterson|January 26, 2021|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.
Sen. David Perdue’s suspicious stock success shows why members of Congress shouldn’t be allowed to trade individual stocks|jakemeth|December 17, 2020|Fortune
The organization falls under the purview of the Senate Banking Committee, which Perdue sits on.
Sen. David Perdue Sold His Home to a Finance Industry Official Whose Organization Was Lobbying the Senate|by Robert Faturechi|December 10, 2020|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.
How Neutral Theory Altered Ideas About Biodiversity|Christie Wilcox|December 8, 2020|Quanta Magazine
From his purview, our visit and interest had brought excitement to him and his peers.
Cuban Hip-Hop Was Born in Alamar|Daniel Levin|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Heated and offensive Facebook comments are by no means the exclusive purview of Republican officials.
The GOP's Many Facebook Fiascos|Tim Mak|August 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I have recently established a web site containing a summary of what actually will be done within the purview of our research.
Iran Is Using a Neocon to Hack Its Foes|Eli Lake|May 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Treaty compliance issues are the purview of the State Department.
Pentagon Moves to Block Russian Spy Plane in American Skies|Eli Lake|April 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
To revise, as they do, the landay tradition, once the sole purview of man, is to risk death.
Beauty and Subversion in the Secret Poems of Afghan Women|Daniel Bosch|April 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
These are among the questions that have influenced the mind of the writer in considering the purview of his book.
A Cursory History of Swearing|Julian Sharman
Up to then, the English national purview had been almost wholly insular and focussed on the Continent.
The Heroic Record of the British Navy|Archibald Hurd
The field which he included in his purview was wide—almost as wide as our national life.
Matthew Arnold|G. W. E. Russell
Simultaneously Robert and I removed ourselves from the purview of the door.
All on the Irish Shore|E. Somerville and Martin Ross
Who can doubt that Dress is a matter properly coming within purview of religion?
Aims and Aids for Girls and Young Women|George Sumner Weaver

British Dictionary definitions for purview

purview

/ (ˈpɜːvjuː) /

noun

the scope of operation or concern of something

the breadth or range of outlook or understanding

law the body of a statute, containing the enacting clauses

Word Origin for purview

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

purview

OTHER WORDS FOR purview

Origin of purview

historical usage of purview

Words nearby purview

Words related to purview

How to use purview in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for purview

Word Origin for purview