proscriptive

American  

[proh-skrip-tiv] / proʊˈskrɪp tɪv /

adjective

1. involving, imposing, or defining limits or prohibitions.

   We want the guidelines to be useful, broadly applicable, and not overly proscriptive and narrow.

   Rather than a proscriptive diet, in which the patient is limited to eating certain foods and measured portions, we encourage eating a wide range of foods in moderation.

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Other Word Forms

• nonproscriptive adjective
• nonproscriptively adverb
• proscriptively adverb
• unproscriptive adjective
• unproscriptively adverb

Etymology

Origin of proscriptive

First recorded in 1740–50; from Latin prōscript-, stem of prōscrībere “to publish in writing” ( proscribe ( def. ) ) + -ive ( def. )

Example Sentences

Viewed this way, minding our p’s and q’s is less about proscriptive notions of correctness, and more about mindfulness, self-discovery and proper conduct.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 7, 2023

But it’s to Leaf’s credit that there’s nothing simplistic, and certainly nothing proscriptive, about how that closure takes place.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 13, 2023

“You can be anyone you want to be, free from proscriptive constructs and sensory needs,” said Lucie Greene, the founder of Light Years, a futures and brand strategy firm.

From New York Times • Jan. 20, 2022

That’s not just descriptive; it’s prescriptive, and proscriptive too.

From Slate • Oct. 9, 2018

It was a sovereign power at once coercive and proscriptive, and a mighty instrument for transferring the produce of the many to a small and exclusive coterie.

From History of the Great American Fortunes, Vol. I Conditions in Settlement and Colonial Times by Gustavus, Myers

Related Words

• excessive
• exorbitant
• preposterous
• steep