Skip to content

The word for today is…

purview (noun):

1a: the body or enacting part of a statute
b: the limit, purpose, or scope of a statute
2: the range or limit of authority, competence, responsibility, concern, or intention
3: range of vision, understanding, or cognizance

Source : Merriam -Webster

Etymology : It may not be illogical to assume a connection between purview and view, but is there one? Not exactly. Although the two words share a syllable, you’ll find that they have very different histories as viewed in the etymological rearview mirror. Purview comes from purveu, a word often found in the legal statutes of 13th- and 14th-century England. These statutes, written in Anglo-French, regularly open with the phrase purveu est, which translates literally to “it is provided.” Purveu in turn comes from porveu, the past participle of the Old French verb porveeir, meaning “to provide.” View, on the other hand, comes (via Middle English) from the past participle of another Anglo-French word, veer, meaning “to see,” and ultimately from the Latin word videre, of the same meaning.

If you enjoyed this BFD word of the day please consider sharing it with your friends and, especially, your children.

Latest

Face of the Day

Face of the Day

In the expose, the broadcaster claims Harrods not only failed to intervene but also helped cover up allegations against Fayed.

Members Public