inscribe

Inscribe is a verb meaning to write, carve, or engrave letters, words, or symbols on a surface. The action can be decorative or commemorative and may occur on stone, metal, wood, or paper. In everyday use, people inscribe a dedication on a book, a plaque, or a monument. The related noun is inscription, which refers to the inscription itself or the act of inscribing.

Originating from Latin inscribere, in- "onto" plus scribere "to write," inscribe entered English in the early medieval period and retains the sense of marking something with words or symbols.

In geometry, inscribe describes a relationship between figures. A polygon is inscribed in a circle when all its vertices lie on the circle. A circle may be inscribed in a polygon when it is tangent to all its sides (the polygon is circumscribed about the circle). The term is also used for inscribed angles and polygons, distinguishing configurations from circumscribed ones.

In archaeology and architecture, inscriptions are records carved or engraved on monuments, stelae, votive offerings, or tablets to convey names, dates, or dedications. In the arts, artists and authors may inscribe works with dedications, signatures, or brief messages to recipients or collectors.

Inscribing remains a common practice across cultures, serving commemorative, navigational, bibliographic, and decorative purposes.