circle

AI In plain words

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Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.

circle^¹

/ˈsɜɹkəl/ US
/ˈsɜːkəl/ UK
/ˈsɪɹkəl/ Scotland

Sounds like cercal (except Scotland) · Rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)kəl

Where it comes from

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.

noun circles

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). 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).
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. Near-synonyms: coil, ring, loop
Similar: disc, disk, round, coil, ring, loop
The orbit of an astronomical body.
A circle of latitude. the 49th circle
Similar: line
A state of moving as to follow a circle; a route that forms a circle. The troops spent ten minutes marching in circle.
Any shape, curve or arrangement of objects that approximates to or resembles the geometric figures. Children, please join hands and form a circle.
Any thin three-dimensional equivalent of the geometric figures. Cut a circle out of that sheet of metal.
A curve that more or less forms part or all of a circle. The crank moves in a circle.
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.
Similar: 30 yard circle, cricket circle, field circle, fielding circle
A magic circle.
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.
Dundee, India, Philippines, South Africa A traffic circle or roundabout. He arrived at the lakefront and drove around the circle where the amusement park and beach used to be when he was a kid[…]
Similar: rotary, roundabout, traffic circle
A headband or diadem.
A road with a curve in it or that ends in a circle, e.g., a cul-de-sac. I live on Grover Circle.
A curved level of a balcony of seats in a theater.
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.
A campfire circle.
A circle dance.
A specific group of persons; especially one who shares a common interest. I need an in to start hanging out with that circle.
Similar: circle of friends, crowd, bunch, gang, group, social circle
The people who associate with and follow someone; one's inner circle. I don't trust anyone in his circle.
Similar: circle of friends, crowd, bunch, gang, group, social circle, entourage, posse, retinue
Japanese Synonym of doujin circle.
Similar: circle of friends, crowd, bunch, gang, group, social circle, doujin circle
A real or figurative cycle. the circle of the wheel
A series ending where it begins, and repeating itself. Thus in a circle runs the peasant's pain.
A form of argument in which two or more unproved statements are used to prove each other; inconclusive reasoning. 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.
indirect Indirect form of words; circumlocution.
A territorial division or district. the circles of Hell
An area near a concert set aside for aggressive moshing.
Similar: circle pit, mosh circle, pit, mosh pit
broadly, figuratively An area of impact or possibility. within the circle of probability
obsolete Compass; circuit; enclosure. in the circle of this forest
in plural A bagginess of the skin below the eyes from lack of sleep. After working all night, she had circles under her eyes.
An event at which circling takes place.

verb circles · circling · circled

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

Circle^²

Where it comes from

From the standard noun circle.

proper noun

A census-designated place in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, United States. Erroneously thought to be on the Arctic Circle, which is 50 miles further north.
A town, the county seat of McCone County, Montana, United States. Named after a cattle brand in the form of a circle.
the Circle line of the London Underground, originally the Inner Circle. The authorising acts were passed in July 1864, and this legislation brought into being what is today the Circle Line ... all of which sounds very simple. In reality it would be a painful process.

Circle^³

Where it comes from

Americanized form of German Zirkel.

proper noun Circles

A surname from German.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: round, rotary, environ, roundabout, circulate, circuit, encircle, surround, dress circle, lot, traffic circle, set, ring, band, lap, sphere

Translations

Every language

noun geometry: set of points that are equally distant from a center

Español	círculo
한국어	원 won, 동그라미 donggeurami
日本語	円 en, 丸 maru
中文	圓形 /圆形 yuánxíng, 圈子 quānzi, 圓圈 /圆圈 yuánquān
हिन्दी	चक्र cakra, वृत्त vŕtt
Kiswahili	duara
Português	círculo
Français	cercle
Deutsch	Kreis
Italiano	cerchio
Ελληνικά	κύκλος kýklos
Română	cerc
Русский	окру́жность okrúžnostʹ, круг krug
Tiếng Việt	vòng tròn, đường tròn
العربية	دَائِرَة dāʔira
עברית	מַעְגָּל ma'agál

noun specific group of persons

Español	círculo, tertulia, mundillo
한국어	서클 seokeul
日本語	サークル sākuru
中文	圈子 quānzi
Português	círculo
Deutsch	Kreis, Zirkel
Italiano	circolo, gruppo, cenacolo, congrega, associazione
Ελληνικά	κύκλος kýklos
Русский	круг krug, кружо́к kružók
العربية	حَلْقَة ḥalqa
עברית	חוג khug

noun territorial division or district

Français	cercle
Deutsch	Kreis

noun thin three-dimensional equivalent of these geometric figures

中文	球 qiú
हिन्दी	गोला golā
Português	disco, círculo
Italiano	sfera
Ελληνικά	σφαίρα sfaíra
Русский	диск disk, круг krug
עברית	כדור kadúr

noun curve approximating part or all of a circle

中文	弧 hú
Português	círculo
Deutsch	Kreis
Italiano	curva
Ελληνικά	καμπύλη kampýli
Русский	круг krug
עברית	סיבוב sivúv

noun Wicca: ritual circle

Español	circulo
Français	cercle

noun bagginess of skin under eyes

Español	ojeras
한국어	다크서클 dakeuseokeul
日本語	目の下のくま me no shita no kuma, 目袋 mebukuro
中文	眼袋 yǎndài
Português	olheiras
Français	yeux cernés, cerne
Deutsch	Augenringe
Italiano	occhiaie
Русский	круги́ под глаза́ми krugí pod glazámi
العربية	دَوَائِر تَحْتَ ٱلْعَيْنَيْن dawāʔir taḥta l-ʕaynayn

verb travel around along a curved path

Español	moverse/andar en círculo (s), circuir
日本語	回る mawaru, 回転する kaiten suru
中文	運轉 /运转 yùn zhuǎn
हिन्दी	परिक्रमा parikramā, प्रदक्षिणा pradakṣiṇā
Português	circular
Français	cercler
Deutsch	umkreisen
Italiano	cerchiare
Русский	кружи́ть kružítʹ
עברית	סב sav, חָג ẖag

verb travel in circles

Español	moverse/andar en círculo (s), circunvolar
日本語	周遊する shūyū-suru
中文	旋轉 /旋转 xuán zhuǎn
Português	circular
Deutsch	kreisen
Italiano	ruotare, roteare
Русский	кружи́ться kružítʹsja
עברית	הסתובב histovév, חָג ẖag

verb surround

中文	圍著 /围着 wéi zhe
हिन्दी	घेराव gherāv
Português	circundar, cercar
Français	entourer, encercler
Deutsch	umkreisen, einkreisen
Italiano	circondare
Русский	окружа́ть okružátʹ, окружи́ть okružítʹ
עברית	הקיף hikíf

verb place or mark a circle around

Español	circular
中文	畫圓圈 /画圆圈 huà yuán quān
हिन्दी	चिन्हित cinhit
Português	circular
Français	encercler
Deutsch	einkreisen
Italiano	cerchiare
עברית	הקיף בעיגול hikíf b'igúl

Talk about this word

Cite this

MLA

"circle." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/circle. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

circle. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/circle

Chicago

"circle." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/circle.

BibTeX

@misc{circle_2026,
  title = {circle},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/circle},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}

circle

AI In plain words

circle¹

Where it comes from

noun circles

verb circles · circling · circled

Circle²

Where it comes from

proper noun

Circle³

Where it comes from

proper noun Circles

Thesaurus

Translations

noun geometry: set of points that are equally distant from a center

noun specific group of persons

noun territorial division or district

noun thin three-dimensional equivalent of these geometric figures

noun curve approximating part or all of a circle

noun Wicca: ritual circle

noun bagginess of skin under eyes

verb travel around along a curved path

verb travel in circles

verb surround

verb place or mark a circle around

circle^¹

Circle^²

Circle^³