circumscription Hear it!

circumscription Definition

cir·cum·scrip·tion (sʉr′kəm skrip′s̸hən)

noun

  1. a circumscribing or being circumscribed
  2. a boundary or outline
  3. a limitation or restriction
  4. a surrounding substance
  5. a circumscribed space or area
  6. an inscription, as around a coin or medal

Etymology: L circumscriptio

circumscription Related Forms
cir′·cum·scrip′·tive adjective
circumscription Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • taxon: These nested groups are the only explicit, testable representation of the circumscription of the taxa they represent.

Noun used with modifier

  • taxon: The taxon circumscription that these publications provide is therefore usually limited to a geographic area.