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circle

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Circle

English

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Etymology

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Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker-der.
Ancient Greek κίρκος (kírkos)bor.
Latin circus
Proto-Indo-European *-lós
Proto-Indo-European *-elós
Proto-Italic *-elos
Latin -ulus
Latin circulus
Old French cerclebor.
Middle English circle
English circle

    From Middle English circle, cercle, from Old French cercle and Latin circulus, diminutive of Latin circus (“circle, circus”), from Ancient Greek κίρκος (kírkos, “circle, ring”), related to Old English hring (“ring”). Compare also Old English ċircul (“circle, zodiac”), which came from the same Latin source. By surface analysis, Latin circ(us) +‎ -(u)le.

    Pronunciation

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    Noun

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    A (geometrical) circle
    A group of people forming a circle

    circle (plural circles)

    2. (geometry) A two-dimensional geometric figure, a line, consisting of the set of all those points in a plane that are equally distant from a given point (center).
      Hypernyms: conic section, shape
      Coordinate terms: (basic shapes) oval, triangle, square, rectangle; (3D) ball, cube; (fellow conic sections) ellipse, parabola, hyperbola
      The set of all points (x, y) such that (x − 1)2 + y2 = r2 is a circle of radius r around the point (1, 0).
      1. (colloquial) A two-dimensional geometric figure, a disk, consisting of the set of all those points of a plane at a distance less than or equal to a fixed distance (radius) from a given point.
        Synonyms: disc, (in mathematical and general use) disk, (not in mathematical use; UK & Commonwealth only) round
        Coordinate terms: (basic shapes) oval, triangle, square, rectangle; (3D) ball, cube
        Near-synonyms: coil, ring, loop
      2. The orbit of an astronomical body.
      3. (geography) A circle of latitude.
        the 49th circle
        Synonym: line
        Antarctic Circle, Arctic Circle
    3. A state of moving as to follow a circle; a route that forms a circle.
      The troops spent ten minutes marching in circle.
      The children ran circles around the tree.
    4. Any shape, curve or arrangement of objects that approximates to or resembles the geometric figures.
      Children, please join hands and form a circle.
      1. Any thin three-dimensional equivalent of the geometric figures.
        Cut a circle out of that sheet of metal.
      2. A curve that more or less forms part or all of a circle.
        The crank moves in a circle.
      3. (cricket) A line comprising two semicircles of 30 yards radius centred on the wickets joined by straight lines parallel to the pitch used to enforce field restrictions in a one-day match.
        Synonyms: 30 yard circle, cricket circle, field circle, fielding circle
      4. A magic circle.
        1. (Wicca) A ritual circle that is cast three times deosil and closes three times widdershins either in the a3ir with a wand or literally with stones or other items used for worship.
      5. (South Africa, Philippines, India, Dundee) A traffic circle or roundabout.
        Synonyms: rotary, roundabout, traffic circle
        • 2011, Charles E. Webb, Downfall and Freedom, page 120:
          He arrived at the lakefront and drove around the circle where the amusement park and beach used to be when he was a kid […]
      6. (jewelry, clothing) A headband or diadem.
      7. A road with a curve in it or that ends in a circle, e.g., a cul-de-sac.
        I live on Grover Circle.
      8. (theater) A curved level of a balcony of seats in a theater.
      9. (astronomy) An instrument of observation, whose graduated limb consists of an entire circle. When fixed to a wall in an observatory, it is called a mural circle; when mounted with a telescope on an axis and in Y's, in the plane of the meridian, a meridian or transit circle; when involving the principle of reflection, like the sextant, a reflecting circle; and when that of repeating an angle several times continuously along the graduated limb, a repeating circle.
      10. (camping) A campfire circle.
      11. (dance) A circle dance.
    5. A specific group of persons; especially one who shares a common interest.
      I need an in to start hanging out with that circle.
      Synonyms: circle of friends, crowd, bunch, gang, group, social circle
      Hyponyms: babysitting circle, family circle, inner circle, moral circle, prayer circle
      literary circle
      1. The people who associate with and follow someone; one's inner circle.
        I don't trust anyone in his circle.
        Synonyms: entourage, posse, retinue
      2. (Japanese fiction) Synonym of doujin circle.
    6. A real or figurative cycle.
      the circle of the wheel
      We've come full circle.
      We've been talking in circles.
      circle of life
      1. A series ending where it begins, and repeating itself.
      3. (logic) A form of argument in which two or more unproved statements are used to prove each other; inconclusive reasoning.
        • 1661, Joseph Glanvill, chapter XVIII, in The Vanity of Dogmatizing: Or Confidence in Opinions. […], London: […] E. C[otes] for Henry Eversden […], →OCLC, page 171:
          That heavy Bodies deſcend by gravity, is no better an account then we might expect from a Ruſtick: and again; that Gravity is a quality whereby an heavy body deſcends, is an impertinent Circle, and teacheth nothing.
      4. Indirect form of words; circumlocution.
    7. A territorial division or district.
      Hyponym: imperial circle
      the circles of Hell
      The ten Circles of the Holy Roman Empire were those principalities or provinces which had seats in the German Diet.
      1. (music) An area near a concert set aside for aggressive moshing.
        Synonyms: circle pit, mosh circle, pit, mosh pit
      2. (figurative, by extension) An area of impact or possibility.
        within the circle of probability
        These are the duties within the morning shift's circle of responsibility.
      3. (obsolete) Compass; circuit; enclosure.
    8. (in the plural) A bagginess of the skin below the eyes from lack of sleep.
      After working all night, she had circles under her eyes.
    9. (University of Warwick slang) An event at which circling takes place.

    Derived terms

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    Descendants

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    • Pitcairn-Norfolk: sirkil

    Translations

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    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
    Translations to be checked

    Verb

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    circle (third-person singular simple present circles, present participle circling, simple past and past participle circled)

    1. (transitive) To travel around along a curved path; to orbit.
      The wolves circled the herd of deer.
      1. (transitive) To surround; to encompass within a circle.
        A high fence circles the enclosure.
        The lightbulb circled the patio in light.
    2. (transitive) To place in a circle; to make a circle.
      We circled stones around him.
      1. (transitive) To place or mark a circle around.
        Circle the jobs that you are interested in applying for.
      2. (transitive) To smoke cannabis in a circle, passing the cannabis around from person to person.
        We circled a joint that afternoon.
      3. (intransitive, paganism) To take part in a magic circle.
        I circled with that group for three years.
      4. (transitive, obsolete) To add someone to a circle on the social media site Google+.
    3. (intransitive) To travel in circles.
      Synonym: gyrate
      Vultures circled overhead.
      1. (transitive) To move in a circle around a target in preparation for an attack.
        The shark circled the diver for several minutes.
      2. (intransitive) To circulate.
        The rumor circled through the crowd.
      3. (transitive, figurative) to consider or negotiate an agreement.
        A high-profile actor is circling the next Spielberg movie.
    4. (University of Warwick slang) To participate in a game of circling.

    Derived terms

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    Translations

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    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
    Translations to be checked

    Anagrams

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