off-limits
UK[ˌɒf ˈlɪmɪts]US[ˌɔːf ˈlɪmɪts]
adj
Not to be entered or used; forbidden or restricted.
Morpheme Breakdown
off
limits
off
limits
Etymology
The compound adjective "off-limits" is a relatively modern American military coinage from the early 20th century. It is formed by combining the adverbial particle "off," denoting exclusion or prohibition, with the plural noun "limits," referring to prescribed boundaries. The phrase literally means "outside the (permitted) boundaries." Its logic is directly spatial: if an area is declared "off-limits," one must stay off or away from its limits. This concrete military sense of a forbidden zone easily extended into general usage to describe anything that is prohibited or not allowed.
Analysis
Structure: off + limits
- off: (Old English) A preposition/adverb particle indicating separation, removal, or negation.
- limits: (Latin via French) The plural form of 'limit', meaning boundaries or restrictions.
Examples
The construction site was clearly marked as off-limits to the public.
That topic is off-limits during our family dinners.
The director's private office is strictly off-limits without an appointment.