1580s, "a scheme or plan in the mind," from French desseign, desseing "purpose, project, design," from the verb in French. Especially "an intention to act in some particular way," often to do something harmful or illegal (1704). Meaning "adoption of means to an end" is from 1660s. In art, "a drawing, especially an outline," 1630s. The artistic sense was taken into French as dessin from Italian disegno, from disegnare "to mark out," from Latin designare "mark out, devise, choose, designate, appoint" (which is also ultimately the source of the English verb), from de "out" + signare "to mark," from signum "identifying mark, sign". General (non-scheming) meaning "a plan our outline" is from 1590s. Meaning "the practical application of artistic principles" is from 1630s. Sense of "artistic details that go to make up an edifice, artistic creation, or decorative work" is from 1640s.
آن ساختار یا هیئت هنری که با ساماندهی اجزا و عناصر و بهرهگیری از انواع شکلها و اجسام، و نیز با تأمین موازین کاربردی و اقتصادی به هرگونه اثر یا مصنوعی داده شود، از معماری و تزیین خانگی و برپاسازی نمایشگاه، تا هواپیما و چمدان و اتومبیل، و پارچه و بستهبندی و انواع فرآوردههای کارخانهای؛ واژهای که امروزه چنین معنی گسترده و پرباری در هنر و صنعت و چاپ یافته است.