delimited; delimiting; delimits

transitive verb

: to fix or define the limits of
guidelines delimiting his responsibilities
an area delimited by woods

Examples of delimit in a Sentence

Strict guidelines delimit his responsibilities. the highway delimits the eastern edge of the downtown area
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the absence of new rules that delimit the parameters of the relationship, and without a common conceptual framework of what the relationship is ultimately about, how can these two powers avoid, consciously or subconsciously, simply sliding into a new Cold War? Kevin Rudd, Foreign Affairs, 22 Oct. 2018 Infatuation opens his characters to, and delimits the extent of their participation in, the world. Brandon Sanchez, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French délimiter, from Latin delimitare, from de- + limitare to limit, from limit-, limes boundary, limit

First Known Use

1852, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of delimit was in 1852

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Delimit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delimit. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

delimit

verb
: to fix or mark the limits of : bound
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