Standard Lemma guide

inscribe

verb · 11 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɪnˈskɹaɪb/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -aɪb
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 N S K R AY1 B Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To write or cut (words) onto (something, especially a hard surface, or a book to be given to another person); to engrave.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • I inscribed the book with a message for Kate.
  • I inscribed my name into the book.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To dedicate to someone.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To enter on a document or list; to enroll.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To draw a circle, sphere, etc. inside a polygon, polyhedron, etc. and tangent to all its sides.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: geometry, mathematics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: escribe

5

verb

Meaning 5

address, (a work of literature) in a style less formal than a dedication

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: dedicate

6

verb

Meaning 6

convert ordinary language into code

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We should encode the message for security reasons

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: code, encipher, cipher, cypher, encrypt, write in code

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: encode

7

verb

Meaning 7

mark with one's signature

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The author autographed his book

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: autograph

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: sign

8

verb

Meaning 8

write, engrave, or print as a lasting record

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: record, enter, put down

9

verb

Meaning 9

carve, cut, or etch into a material or surface

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • engrave a pen
  • engraved the trophy cupt with the winner's
  • the lovers scratched their names into the bark of the tree

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: scratch, engrave, grave

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: carve, chip at

Narrower terms: character

10

verb

Meaning 10

draw within a figure so as to touch in as many places as possible

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: trace, draw, line, describe, delineate

11

verb

Meaning 11

register formally as a participant or member

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The party recruited many new members

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: enroll, enter, enrol, recruit

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: register

Narrower terms: enlist, draft, muster in, unionize, unionise, register, matriculate

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin īnscrībō, from in- (“upon”) and scrībō (“to write”).

Across languages

Translations

29 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: надписвам (nadpisvam) — to write or cut words onto something
  • Catalan: inscriure — to write or cut words onto something
  • Chinese Mandarin: 刻 (kè) — to write or cut words onto something
  • Chinese Mandarin: 铭刻 (míngkè) — to write or cut words onto something
  • Czech: vepsat — to write or cut words onto something
  • Finnish: kaivertaa — to write or cut words onto something
  • French: graver — to write or cut words onto something
  • German: beschriften — to write or cut words onto something
  • Greek: επιγράφω (epigráfo) — to write or cut words onto something
  • Old Turkic: 𐰋𐰃𐱅𐰃 (biti-) — to write or cut words onto something
  • Romanian: inscripționa — to write or cut words onto something
  • Romanian: înscrie — to write or cut words onto something
  • Romanian: grava — to write or cut words onto something
  • Russian: начертать (načertatʹ) — to write or cut words onto something
  • Spanish: inscribir — to write or cut words onto something
  • Turkish: yazmak — to write or cut words onto something
  • Turkish: kazımak — to write or cut words onto something
  • Turkish: kakmak — to write or cut words onto something
  • Ottoman Turkish: قازمق (kazmak) — to write or cut words onto something
  • Ottoman Turkish: یازمق (yazmak) — to write or cut words onto something
  • Welsh: llythrennu — to write or cut words onto something
  • Bulgarian: вписвам (vpisvam) — to draw a circle, sphere
  • Catalan: inscriure — to draw a circle, sphere
  • Czech: vepsat — to draw a circle, sphere
  • Greek: εγγράφω (engráfo) — to draw a circle, sphere
  • Romanian: înscrie — to draw a circle, sphere
  • Russian: впи́сывать (vpísyvatʹ) — to draw a circle, sphere
  • Russian: вписа́ть (vpisátʹ) — to draw a circle, sphere
  • Spanish: inscribir — transitive: to enroll