An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

1) To mark with words, characters, etc., especially in a durable or conspicuous way.
2) Geometry: To draw within another figure so that the inner lies entirely within the boundary of the outer, touching it at as many points as possible: e.g. to inscribe a circle in a square.

From L. inscribere, from → in- + scribere "to write," from PIE *skreibh- (cf. Gk. skariphasthai "to scratch an outline, sketch;" Lett. skripat "scratch, write;" 0 O.N. hrifa "scratch"); PIE base *sker- "cut, incise."

Darveštan, darvisidan (on the model of neveštan, nevisidan "to write"), from dar-, → in-, + vešt-, vis- (see below) + -idan infinitive suffix. Vešt-, vis- from Mid.Pers. bišt-, bis- (nibištan, nibes- "to write"), from O.Pers. pais- "to adorn, cut, engrave," Av. paēs- "to paint, adorn," paēsa- "adornment," Mid.Pers. pēsīdan "to adorn;" cf. Skt. piśáti "adorns; cuts;" Gk. poikilos "multicolored;" L. pingit "embroiders, paints;" O.C.S. pisati "to write;" O.H.G. fēh "multicolored;" Lith. piēšti "to draw, adorn;" PIE base *peik- "colored, speckled."

An angle whose vertex lies on a circle and whose sides are chords of the circle.

Inscribed p.p. of → inscribe; → angle.