Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
adjective
- pregnant; with child.
noun, plural en·ceintes [en-seynts, en-sants; French ahn–sant] /ɛnˈseɪnts, ɛnˈsænts; French ɑ̃ˈsɛ̃t/.
- a wall or enclosure, as of a fortified place.
- the place enclosed.
adjective
- another word for pregnant
noun
- a boundary wall enclosing a defended area
- the area enclosed
c.1600, insente, from French enceinte “pregnant” (12c.), from Late Latin incincta (source of Italian incinta), usually explained as “ungirt,” from Latin in-, privative prefix (see in- (1)), + cincta, fem. of cinctus, past participle of cingere “to gird” (see cinch). Modern form is 18c., perhaps a reborrowing from French.