Table of Contents
The word for today is…
proscribe (verb):
1 : to publish the name of as condemned to death with the property of the condemned forfeited to the state
2 : to condemn or forbid as harmful or unlawful : prohibit
Source : Merriam -Webster
Etymology : Proscribe and prescribe each have a Latin-derived prefix that means “before” attached to the verb “scribe” (from scribere, meaning “to write”). Yet the two words have very distinct, often nearly opposite meanings. Why? In a way, you could say it’s the law. In the 15th and 16th centuries both words had legal implications. To proscribe was to publish the name of a person who had been condemned, outlawed, or banished. To prescribe meant “to lay down a rule,” including legal rules or orders.
If you enjoyed this BFD word of the day please consider sharing it with your friends and, especially, your children.
