Circumscription

Cirˊcum-scrip′tion

,

Noun.

[L.

circumscriptio

. See

.]

1.

An inscription written around anything.

[R.]

Ashmole.

2.

The exterior line which determines the form or magnitude of a body; outline; periphery.

Ray.

3.

The act of limiting, or the state of being limited, by conditions or restraints; bound; confinement; limit.

The

circumscriptions

of terrestrial nature.

Johnson.

I would not my unhoused, free condition
Put into

circumscription

and confine.

Shakespeare

,

Noun.

1.

The line that limits; limitation; bound; confinement.

2.

In natural philosophy, the termination or limits of a body; the exterior line which determines the form or magnitude of a body.

3.

A circular inscription.

circumscription ‎(plural circumscriptions)

the act of circumscribing or the quality of being circumscribed
anything that circumscribes or a circumscribed area
(taxonomy) the 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.
An electoral district; used often in texts treating electoral systems in Romance countries.