circumscription

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UK/ˌsɜː.kəmˈskɹɪp.ʃən/US/ˌsɝ.kəmˈskɹɪp.ʃən/

noun

The act of circumscribing or the quality of being circumscribed.

“The circumscription in the APG system of the family Malvaceae includes the former families Bombacaceae, Sterculiaceae and Tiliaceae.”

OriginLatin circumscrīptiō ← Proto-Italic *skreiβō ← Proto-Indo-European *(s)kréybʰeti →
UncommonScrabble 25
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Meanings

nouncircumscription (countable and uncountable, plural circumscriptions)

plural circumscriptions

  1. countableuncountableThe act of circumscribing or the quality of being circumscribed.
  2. countableuncountableAnything that circumscribes or a circumscribed area.
  3. countableuncountablebiologyThe definition of what does and does not belong to a given taxon, from a particular taxonomic viewpoint or taxonomic system.

    The circumscription in the APG system of the family Malvaceae includes the former families Bombacaceae, Sterculiaceae and Tiliaceae.

  4. countableuncountableAn electoral district; used often in texts treating electoral systems in Romance countries.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*(s)ker-
  2. Ancient Greekκίρκος (kírkos)
  3. Latincircus
  4. Latincircum
  5. Latincircum-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*(s)ker-?
  7. Proto-Indo-European*(s)kreybʰ-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*(s)kréybʰeti
  9. Proto-Italic*skreiβō
  10. Latinscrībō
  11. Latincircumscribō
  12. Latincircumscrīptiō
  13. Englishcircumscription

Borrowed from Latin circumscrīptiō.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans omskrywing
  • omskrywingact of circumscribing; quality of being circumscribed
Estonian piiramine
  • piiramineact of circumscribing; quality of being circumscribed
Finnish ympyröinti, ympyröinti
  • ympyröintiact of circumscribing; quality of being circumscribed
  • ympyröintianything that circumscribes or a circumscribed area
  • rajaustaxonomy: definition of what belongs in a taxon
Italian circoscrizione, circoscrizione
  • circoscrizioneact of circumscribing; quality of being circumscribed
  • circoscrizioneanything that circumscribes or a circumscribed area
  • circoscrizionetaxonomy: definition of what belongs in a taxon
Portuguese circunscrição, circunscrição
  • circunscriçãoact of circumscribing; quality of being circumscribed
  • circunscriçãoanything that circumscribes or a circumscribed area
  • circunscriçãotaxonomy: definition of what belongs in a taxon
Spanish circunscripción
  • circunscripciónact of circumscribing; quality of being circumscribed
Cite this entry
APA

circumscription. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/circumscription

MLA

“circumscription.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/circumscription. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “circumscription,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/circumscription.

Source: circumscription on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.