To circumscribe something is to limit its size, activity, or range, but the range of influence of the Latin ancestors of circumscribe knows no bounds.

If you circumscribe a triangle, square, etc., you draw a circle that surrounds it and touches each of its corners.

Circumscribe definition: to draw a line around; encircle.. See examples of CIRCUMSCRIBE used in a sentence.

Nov 16, 2025 · circumscribe (third-person singular simple present circumscribes, present participle circumscribing, simple past and past participle circumscribed) To draw a line around; …

To draw a figure around another figure so as to touch as many points as possible. A circle that is circumscribed around a triangle touches it at each of the triangle's three vertices. The …

Definition of circumscribe verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

As traditionally circumscribed, it consists of 36 genera and about 300 species.

To circumscribe is to limit or restrict. If you spend too much time watching TV instead of fulfilling other obligations, you might circumscribe your TV-watching time to one hour daily (or two …

There are eight meanings listed in OED's entry for the verb circumscribe, two of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

delimit: to circumscribe the area of a science. to draw (a figure) around another figure so as to touch as many points as possible. (of a figure) to enclose (another figure) in this manner. …