Dictionary

circular en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• sûr′kyələr
• /ˈsɪɾ.kjə.ləɾ/ (Scotland)
• /ˈsɜɹ.kjə.ləɹ/ (General-American)
• /ˈsɜː.kjə.lə/ (Australia, Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English circuler, circuleer, circulere, from Old French circulier (French circulaire), from Late Latin circularis, from Latin circulus, diminutive of circus (“ring”). By surface analysis, circle + -ar.

Meanings

1. Of or relating to a circle.
2. In the shape of, or moving in, a circle.
   • Here, in the transept and choir, where the service was being held, one was conscious every moment of an increasing brightness; colours glowing vividly beneath the circular chandeliers, and the rows of small lights on the choristers' desks flashed and sparkled in front of the boys' faces, deep linen collars, and red neckbands. 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter V, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
   • Near-synonyms: oval; round; toroid, ringlike, round-like
3. Circuitous or roundabout.
4. Referring back to itself, so as to prevent computation or comprehension; infinitely recursive.
   • circular reasoning
   • It must be conceded that this definition (the definition of tort) is somewhat circular, but it is the only one that will suffice. 2019, Paulia Giliker, chapter 1, in Tort, Eighth edition, Thompson Reuters, →ISBN, What is tort? (section 1-002), page 2:
   • Your dictionary defines "brave" as "courageous", and "courageous" as "brave". That's a circular definition.
   • a circular formula in a spreadsheet
5. Distributed to a large number of persons.
   • a proclamation of Henry III., […] doubtless circular throughout England 1827, Henry Hallam, The Constitutional History of England from the Accession of Henry VII. to the Death of George II. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: John Murray, […], →OCLC:
6. (obsolete) Perfect; complete.
   • A man so absolute and circular / In all those wished-for rarities that may take / A virgin captive. 1632, Philip Massinger, Maid of Honour, act I, scene 2:
7. (archaic) Adhering to a fixed circle of legends; cyclic; hence, mean; inferior.
   • February 1, 1711, John Dennis, on the Genius and Writings of Shakespeare Had Virgil been a circular poet, and closely adhered to history, how could the Romans have had Dido?

Forms

Antonyms

thin · sharp · square

Coordinates

egg-shaped · ovoid · semicircular · hemicircular

Deriveds

circular dichroism · semicircular · circular queue · quasicircular · Circular Head · circular telegram · circular segment · circular file · circular note · circularwise · circular economy · circularise · circularism · bicircular · hemicircular · subcircular · circular parry · circular function · circular state · court circular · circular reasoning · circular logic · circular argument · circular buffer · circular breathing · circularization · supercircular · circularin · circular fashion · circularly · demicircular · minicircular · tricircular · noncircular · maxicircular · circular canon · circular cone · semi-circular · circular angle · circular mil · anticircular · circular sector · meta-circular · circular arc · metacircular · squircular · near-circular · circular needle · circular reference · circularize · circularity · circular knitting · circular filing cabinet · circular graph · innermost stable circular orbit · circularness · circular polarized light · microcircular · uncircular · cocircular

Hypernyms

shape

Hyponyms

recursive · rotund · spherical

Relateds

circular saw · circular file · circle · circular firing squad

Synonyms

cyclic · annular · discoid · annular · round-like · ringlike · O-shaped · circular · toroid · round · rounded · round · oval · ring-shaped

Translations (113)

grc κυκλικός (of or relating to a circle) · sv cirkulär (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · ps ګرد (of or relating to a circle) · fi ympyrän muotoinen (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · be кру́глы (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · fr rond (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · de zirkelhaft (referring back to itself — see also circular definition) · mk кружен (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · ca circular (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · mi porowhita (of or relating to a circle) · ru окру́глый (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · gl circular (of or relating to a circle) · ru око́льный (circuitous or roundabout — see also circuitous, roundabout) · fr circulaire (of or relating to a circle) · bg кръ́гъл (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · nl rond (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · ro circular (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · hi वृत्ताकार (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · pdt runt (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · io cirkla (of or relating to a circle) · ru кру́глый (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · de kreisend (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · de rund (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · ru кругово́й (of or relating to a circle) · ps ګرد (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · ka წრიული (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · fi ympyrä- (of or relating to a circle) · pt arredondado (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · id bundar (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · da cirkulær (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · hi गोल (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · sv cirkelformad (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · it circolare (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · hy շրջանաձև (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · gd cearcaill (of or relating to a circle) · es circular (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · sa मण्डल (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · kmr bazineyî (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · pt circular (circuitous or roundabout — see also circuitous, roundabout) · sv compounds with cirkel c or ring (of or relating to a circle) · ru циркуля́рный (distributed to a large number of persons) · hy բոլորաձև (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · cs kulatý (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · fi kehämäinen (referring back to itself — see also circular definition) · ga ciorclach (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · bg обиколен (circuitous or roundabout — see also circuitous, roundabout) · be кругавы́ (of or relating to a circle) · hi वलयाकार (of or relating to a circle) · my ဝိုင်း (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · ka წრიული (of or relating to a circle) · it circolare (of or relating to a circle) · sv cirkulär (of or relating to a circle) · tr dairesel (of or relating to a circle) · el κυκλικός (of or relating to a circle) · gl circular (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · sv rund (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · el εγκύκλιος (distributed to a large number of persons) · fi laajalevikkinen (distributed to a large number of persons) · pt redondo (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · mk обиколен (circuitous or roundabout — see also circuitous, roundabout) · hu körkörös (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · el περιστροφικός (circuitous or roundabout — see also circuitous, roundabout) · uk кругови́й (of or relating to a circle) · ast circular (of or relating to a circle) · gd cearclach (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · fi epäsuora (circuitous or roundabout — see also circuitous, roundabout) · mk кружен (of or relating to a circle) · sv ringformad (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · ru окружно́й (circuitous or roundabout — see also circuitous, roundabout) · ar دَائِرِيّ (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · da rund (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · fi kiertelevä (circuitous or roundabout — see also circuitous, roundabout) · hy շրջանագծային (of or relating to a circle) · io cirklala (of or relating to a circle) · su bunder (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · ca circular (of or relating to a circle) · fi kierto- (circuitous or roundabout — see also circuitous, roundabout) · uk кру́глий (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · pt circular (of or relating to a circle) · hi वृत्तीय (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · fa دایره (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · bn গোলাকার (of or relating to a circle) · el κυκλικός (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · cmn 圓 /圆 (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · de kreisförmig (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · ru кружно́й (circuitous or roundabout — see also circuitous, roundabout) · fi kehä- (referring back to itself — see also circular definition) · grc κυκλικός (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · vo sirkafomik (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · bg кръго́в (of or relating to a circle) · de kreisartig (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · ar دَائِرِيّ (of or relating to a circle) · hy շրջանագծային (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · es circular (of or relating to a circle) · fi pyöreä (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · de Kreis- (of or relating to a circle) · de Kreis- (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · ro circular (of or relating to a circle) · ja 丸い (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · fi pyörivä (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · eo cirkla (of or relating to a circle) · vo klöpik (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · ro de cerc (of or relating to a circle) · mi porohita (of or relating to a circle) · pt circular (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · hi वर्तुल (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · io cirklatra (of or relating to a circle) · kmr bazinî (of or relating to a circle) · pl okrągły (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · ast circular (in the shape of, or moving in a circle) · bn বৃত্তাকার (of or relating to a circle) · bg циркуля́рен (distributed to a large number of persons) · hi गोलाकार (of or relating to a circle)

circular en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• sûr′kyələr
• /ˈsɪɾ.kjə.ləɾ/ (Scotland)
• /ˈsɜɹ.kjə.ləɹ/ (General-American)
• /ˈsɜː.kjə.lə/ (Australia, Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English circuler, circuleer, circulere, from Old French circulier (French circulaire), from Late Latin circularis, from Latin circulus, diminutive of circus (“ring”). By surface analysis, circle + -ar.

Meanings

1. An advertisement, directive or notice intended for mass circulation.
   • Near-synonym: flyer (advertisement)
   • The pigeon-hole was also stuffed with circulars and hand-bills. 1991 September, Stephen Fry, chapter 2, in The Liar, London: Heinemann, →ISBN, section I, page 40:
2. (abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis) Ellipsis of circular letter.
   alt of circular letter
3. (abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis) Ellipsis of circular file.
   alt of circular file
4. (dated) A sleeveless cloak cut from a circular pattern.
5. A shuttle bus with a circular route.

Forms

Relateds

catalogue · handbill · catalog · leaflet · booklet · brochure · pamphlet · hand bill · junk mail · flier · advertisement · flyer

Synonyms

flyer

Translations (6)

cmn 通函 (advertisement, directive or notice intended for mass circulation) · ur گَشْتی (advertisement, directive or notice intended for mass circulation) · hi विज्ञप्ति (advertisement, directive or notice intended for mass circulation) · ru циркуля́р (advertisement, directive or notice intended for mass circulation) · uk циркуля́р (advertisement, directive or notice intended for mass circulation) · fr circulaire (advertisement, directive or notice intended for mass circulation)

circular en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• sûr′kyələr
• /ˈsɪɾ.kjə.ləɾ/ (Scotland)
• /ˈsɜɹ.kjə.ləɹ/ (General-American)
• /ˈsɜː.kjə.lə/ (Australia, Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English circuler, circuleer, circulere, from Old French circulier (French circulaire), from Late Latin circularis, from Latin circulus, diminutive of circus (“ring”). By surface analysis, circle + -ar.

Meanings

1. To distribute circulars to or at.
   • It is true, that, to obtain these, some six hundred or more institutions were circulared, and a good many of these a second time. 1873, Old and new - Volume 8, page 101:
   • I do not mean to say we have never employed some of them who come to us—but we have never circulared agents or gone after them. 1909, American Life Convention, Report of the Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Life Convention, page 42:
   • If you've ever been circulared by drug repackaging houses, you know they usually offer to trade a selection of office supplies for your unused drug samples. 1962, Harrie Sheridan Baketel, Medical Economics - Volume 39, page 141:
   • The result of the sending of these notices confirms me in the opinion, that it will be necessary to adopt legal means with the great majority of these parties. The circulars have had little effect. In fact, the parties have been “circulared" into the notion that nothing more formidable will ever be sent to them. 1851, G. W. Muir, Report on the State of Engine and Other Furnaces, page 19:
2. To extend in a circular direction.
   • The theme can be expressed in an architectural analogy. For, of all contriving to encover space, the arch — alone or 'circulared' into the dome — is the most ingenious. 2008, Donald E. Wagner, Kenneth Cragg, Dying in the Land of Promise, page 116:

Forms