Where does “circumscribe” come from?
Circumscribe comes from Latin circumscrībō, formed from Latin circum meaning "around" and Proto-Indo-European skreybʰ- meaning "to cut or scratch."
circumscribe (English): To draw a line around; to encircle; To limit...
Definitions
- To draw a line around; to encircle; To limit...
Ancestry of “circumscribe”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | circumscrībō | to draw a line around, enclose in a circle, circumscribe |
| 2 | Latin | circum- | circum- round, about |
| 3 | Latin | circum | about, around; in a circle, all around, on both... |
| 4 | Latin | circus | a circular line or orbit; circle, ring; a... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | κρίκος | ring |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ḱer- | dung, manure, filth; manure, dung, filth |