circular
Americanadjective
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having the form of a circle; round.
a circular tower.
-
of or relating to a circle.
a circular plane.
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moving in or forming a circle or a circuit.
the circular rotation of the earth.
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moving or occurring in a cycle or round.
the circular succession of the seasons.
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roundabout; indirect; circuitous.
a circular route.
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Logic. of or relating to reasoning in which the conclusion is ostensibly proved, but in actuality it or its equivalent has been assumed as a premise.
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pertaining to a circle or set of persons.
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(of a letter, memorandum, etc.) addressed to a number of persons or intended for general circulation.
noun
adjective
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of, involving, resembling, or shaped like a circle
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circuitous
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(of arguments) futile because the truth of the premises cannot be established independently of the conclusion
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travelling or occurring in a cycle
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(of letters, announcements, etc) intended for general distribution
noun
Other Word Forms
- circularity noun
- circularly adverb
- circularness noun
- noncircular adjective
- noncircularly adverb
- subcircular adjective
- subcircularly adverb
- uncircular adjective
- uncircularly adverb
Etymology
Origin of circular
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin circulāris, equivalent to circul(us), circlus “a circular form or figure; a ring or circle” + -āris adjective suffix; circle, -ar 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Future surveys using magnetic and gravimetric techniques could detect circular underground structures that mark a buried or eroded crater.
From Science Daily
The ripples move through space at the speed of light, similar to the circular waves that spread across water after a stone is dropped into a pond.
From Science Daily
The study, published in Science Advances, marks an important step toward a more sustainable and circular chemical economy.
From Science Daily
Titan's current orbit, which is slightly elongated but gradually becoming more circular, also hints at a relatively recent disturbance consistent with a past merger.
From Science Daily
These producer responsibility laws emphasize the idea of “circular economy”: that the producer of a material must consider its fate — making sure it can be reused or recycled, or at least reduced.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
