Cambridge Dictionaries online Cambridge Dictionaries online

The most popular online dictionary and thesaurus for learners of English

  

circumscribe

verb
 
 
/ˈsɜː.kəm.skraɪb/ US  /ˈsɝː-/

Definition

[T often passive] formal to limit something: Their movements have been severely circumscribed since the laws came into effect. There followed a series of tightly circumscribed visits to military installations.Limiting and restrictingPreventing and impeding [T] specialized If you circumscribe a triangle, square, etc., you draw a circle that surrounds it and touches each of its corners.Enclosing, surrounding and immersing
(Definition of circumscribe verb from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

Word of the Day

honest-to-goodness

real or true

Word of the Day

Blog

Read our blog about how the English language behaves.

Learn More

New Words

Find words and meanings that have just started to be used in English, and let us know what you think of them.

Learn More