indite

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to write or compose a text, especially a formal or literary one

   Joe sat beside the bed to indite a careful note to Biddy.

2. 2
   verb

   to form words or letters in writing; to inscribe

   The clerk indited the dedication in a steady copperplate hand.

3. 3
   verb

   to dictate or prompt the words of a text; archaic

   She claimed that inspiration had indited every line of the hymn.

From Middle English enditen, through Old French enditer from Late Latin indictare, 'to declare or dictate,' built on Latin dicere, 'to say.' Indite was originally a spelling variant of indict; their meanings later separated, with indite retaining the literary sense 'compose in words.'

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