Beringed

Part of speech: adjective, verb

Definitions

1. Adorned or encircled with one or more rings; wearing rings on the fingers ; having something marked or surrounded by circular bands
2. Having fingers decorated with rings ; being marked or surrounded by rings or circular shapes ; characterized by the presence of rings as decoration or indicator
3. Displaying rings on the fingers as jewelry ; showing circular bands or markings surrounding something ; possessing something encircled or highlighted by ring-shaped features

Etymology: "Beringed" is a plain formation: the prefix "be-" added to "ring," with the "-ed" ending that turns a noun into an adjective meaning "furnished with" the thing named. The prefix "be-" once meant "around" or "over" and was used to form verbs that meant to surround or cover something, as in "bespatter" or "bedew." Adding it to "ring" gives the sense of having rings placed around or on something, which is why the word describes a hand or finger that is decorated with jewellery. Because the parts are so transparent, the word needs little explanation beyond its construction. Its adjectival use follows the pattern of many older English words built the same way, such as "bejewelled," where the ending marks the result of the action rather than the action itself.

Synonyms: ringed, circled, encircled