superscribe

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *upér

Proto-Italic *super

Latin super

Latin super-

Proto-Italic *skreiβō

Latin scrībō

Latin superscrīboder.

English superscribe

From Latin superscrībo (“write over”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /suːpəˈskɹʌɪb/

Verb

superscribe (third-person singular simple present superscribes, present participle superscribing, simple past and past participle superscribed)

1. (transitive) to write on the exterior of, the surface of, or above.

   He superscribed each character with its Latin-alphabet equivalent.

2. (transitive) to write (something) on the exterior of an object, such as a document or an envelope.

   His wife superscribed her own notes on each of his letters before sending them in packets to the editor.

3. (transitive) To address (an envelope etc.).
   • 1992, Hilary Mantel, A Place of Greater Safety, Harper Perennial, published 2007, page 121:

     That Friday, which began like any other, when my fate was brought up from the kitchen, superscribed to me, and put into my ignorant hand.

Latin

Verb

superscrībe

1. second-person singular present active imperative of superscrībō