inscribo

Inscribo is a Latin verb meaning to inscribe, to write on a surface, or to enroll. It belongs to the 3rd conjugation and is formed with the prefix in- plus scribo, giving the sense of writing in or on something. The present active indicative forms include inscribō (I inscribe), inscribis (you inscribe), and inscribit (he inscribes). The infinitive is inscribere, with the perfect indicative inscripsī and the supine or perfect passive participle inscriptum. In classical usage, inscribo covers both writing on a surface, such as a tablet or monument, and enrolling or recording names on a list or register.

Usage and translations: In Latin, inscribo is commonly translated as “to inscribe” or “to write on,” and it can also convey the sense of enrolling or recording, depending on context. The verb appears in inscriptions, dedications, and other epigraphic or bureaucratic texts, where the act of writing or enrolling is being described. Typical expressions describe what is inscribed (a title, a name, a decree) and where it is inscribed (on stone, on a tablet, in a register).

Etymology and derivatives: Inscribo is formed from in- (“in, on”) + scribo (“to write”). The English descendants include inscribe, inscription, inscriber, and inscriptive. Related Latin forms include inscriptio (the act or result of inscription) and inscriptus (the past participle), which appear in various grammatical and literary contexts.

See also: Epigraphy, Latin verbs, and the family of scribo- verbs.