delineate

C2+ Topic:Communication

US /dɪˈlɪniˌeɪt/ UK /dɪˈlɪnieɪt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to describe or portray precisely; to mark out boundaries

The report delineates each department's responsibilities.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to describe or portray... outline describe depict portray define sketch trace demarcate

Opposites

blur confuse obscure

Word family

Derived forms delineationdelineatordelineated

Related forms linelineatelineament

Etymology

From Latin delineatus, past participle of delineare ('to sketch out'), from de- ('completely') + lineare ('to draw lines'), from linea ('line').

delineare Latin linea Latin linum Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Communication Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# delineate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /dɪˈlɪniˌeɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /dɪˈlɪnieɪt/

## Meanings
1. to describe or portray precisely; to mark out boundaries

## Examples
- The report delineates each department's responsibilities.

## Synonyms
- outline
- describe
- depict
- portray
- define
- sketch
- trace
- demarcate

## Antonyms
- blur
- confuse
- obscure

## Derived Forms
- delineation
- delineator
- delineated

## Related Forms
- line
- lineate
- lineament

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: delineare
- Root: linea
- Root: linum

## Etymology
From Latin delineatus, past participle of delineare ('to sketch out'), from de- ('completely') + lineare ('to draw lines'), from linea ('line').

## AI Etymology
Delineate comes from Latin delineatus, past participle of delineare ('to sketch out'), from de- ('completely') + lineare ('to draw lines'), from linea ('line'). The etymological trail includes Latin delineare, Latin linea, and Latin linum. As a verb, delineate means to describe or portray precisely; to mark out boundaries. The same family is visible in derived forms such as delineation, delineator, and delineated and related forms such as line, lineate, and lineament. The analysis is partly morphological, with the modern form built from the elements named in the history.

## Topics
- Communication
- Word Formation & Derivatives

markdown