circle
pronunciation
How to pronounce circle in British English:
UK [ˈsɜːkl]
How to pronounce circle in American English:
US [ˈsɜːrkl]
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- Noun:
- ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point
- an unofficial association of people or groups
- something approximating the shape of a circle
- movement once around a course
- a road junction at which traffic streams circularly around a central island
- street names for flunitrazepan
- a curved section or tier of seats in a hall or theater or opera house; usually the first tier above the orchestra
- any circular or rotating mechanism
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- Verb:
- travel around something
- move in circles
- be around
- form a circle around
Word Origin
- circle
- circle: [14] Etymologically, a circle is a ‘small ring’. The word comes ultimately from Latin circus (source of course of English circus and of a host of circle-related words), whose diminutive form was circulus. This was actually borrowed into English in Old English times, as circul, but this died out. Modern English circle came via Old French cercle, and to begin with was thus spelled in English, but in the 16th century the Latin i was reintroduced. Latin derivatives include the adjective circulāris, source of English circular [15], and the verb circulāre, whose past participle gave English circulate [15].=> circulate, circus, search
- circle (n.)
- c. 1300, "figure of a circle," from Old French cercle "circle, ring (for the finger); hoop of a helmet or barrel" (12c.), from Latin circulus "circular figure; small ring, hoop; circular orbit" (also source of Italian cerchio), diminutive of circus "ring" (see circus). Replaced Old English trendel and hring. Late Old English used circul, from Latin, but only in an astronomical sense. Meaning "group of persons surrounding a center of interest" is from 1714 (it also was a secondary sense of Latin circulus); that of "coterie" is from 1640s (a sense also found in Latin circulus). To come full circle is in Shakespeare.
- circle (v.)
- late 14c., cerclen, "to shape like a globe," also "to encompass or surround," from circle (n.). From c. 1400 as "to set in a circular pattern;" mid-15c. as "to move in a circle." Related: Circled; circling. To circle the wagons, figuratively, "assume an alert defensive stance" is from 1969, from old Western movies.
Synonym
camarilla knot ring set group association gang coterie fraternity sorority faction society clique assembly cabal
disc round circlet belt roundlet armlet aureole annulus halo globe loop corona wheel hoop ring collar band
field extent sphere domain realm compass area region ambit bounds district orb purlieus precinct province range radius department pale reach zone scope bailiwick
Example
- 1. The economy is stuck in a vicious circle .
- 2. This outer circle also included families of political prisoners .
- 3. They either keep you in a circle or not .
- 4. The day starts with the candidates standing in a circle .
- 5. Circle is declared as a concrete subclass of shape .