scribunt

scribunt is a Latin verb form meaning “they write” or “they are writing.” It is the third person plural present indicative active form of scribere, the verb meaning to write, inscribe, or compose. The form appears in a wide range of Latin texts, from classical authors to later Latin.

Grammatical notes: scribunt comes from the third conjugation. In the present system, the typical endings for -ere verbs yield scribo, scribis, scribit, scribimus, scribitis, scribunt. The infinitive is scribere, and the perfect forms include scripsi with the supine or participle scriptum. As a present tense form, scribunt marks ongoing action by a plural subject.

Usage: Scribunt is used to describe writing performed by multiple subjects. It can refer to authors, scribes, or groups engaged in composing texts, letters, or inscriptions. In narrative, it often conveys immediacy, as in historical or literary passages, where readers are told that the subjects write or compose in the moment. Example: Romani scribunt epistolas. Translation: The Romans write letters.

Historical and linguistic note: As a common present tense form, scribunt occurs across genres, from epic and historical prose to legal and scholarly Latin. It is typically encountered alongside other present indicative forms in discussions of Latin grammar, syntax, and verb conjugation.

See also: scribere, scribo, and other tense forms of the verb scribere. The base meaning centers on writing, with scribunt serving as a standard plural present form in discussions of Latin morphology and usage.