the size of something as given by the distance around it
That's almost 10 times the circumference of the Earth, which is a surprisingly small 24,859.82 miles.
BBC
(Dec 1, 2014)
circum (around) + ferre (to carry) + ence (suffix forming abstract nouns)
Latin had the verb "circumferre" which meant "to carry around, lead around, take around." While the meaning of "ferre" carried over into other English words (transfer/transference, infer/inference), it no longer connects to "circumference" (pi times diameter), which only has a noun form that is focused on size rather than action.
careful to consider potential consequences and avoid risk
The second penguin seemed more circumspect, pausing at length to examine the unfamiliar terrain.
The New Yorker
(Mar 12, 2015)
circum (around) + specere (to look)
Do not confuse this with the adjective "suspect." Something that is suspect might seem untrustworthy or wrong, but this is a feeling that is not always based on facts. Someone who is circumspect is careful, and this approach is usually based on previous knowledge. The definition of the noun "circumspection" is "knowing how to avoid embarrassment or distress."
avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing
You really can circumvent the automated application and reach out to your hiring manager.
Forbes
(Aug 3, 2015)
circum (around) + venire (to come)
In military usage, the verb connects directly to its roots: a circumventing army can force its enemy to give up, not by avoiding it, but by completely surrounding it. In the example sentence, the verb is figuratively used to describe going around something. This type of circumvention sometimes suggests a sense of doing wrong by not doing something required; but if done well, it can also be seen as a victory achieved through cleverness and wit.
a condition that accompanies some event or activity
All new human beings arrive vulnerable to circumstances over which they had no influence, but which, in turn, have enormous influence on them.
New York Times
(Oct 14, 2015)
circum (around) + stare (to stand)
This general meaning of the word is not part of the pomp and circumstance you might hear and see at a graduation (that is an outdated usage that means "formal ceremony about important occasions"). The addition of the "s" indicates more than one condition, which differs from these definitions of "circumstances": "one's overall condition in life" and "a person's financial situation."
circum (around) + stare (to stand) + al (suffix forming adjectives)
Another definition is "including the details of a specific event or situation." This sounds like the opposite of the chosen definition. But when considered separately from the whole situation, details are small facts that might have some truth but would not be enough to prove that something is beyond a reasonable doubt. To convict or convince, conclusive evidence is required.
We encourage candor to the point of tactlessness: No circumlocution, no fancy rhetoric, no beating around the bush.
Forbes
(Mar 29, 2013)
circum (around) + loqui (to speak) + ion (suffix forming nouns)
To make the point with more synonymous repetition, these words could be added: No periphrasis, no euphemisms. The list mostly describes roundabout ways of talking often used to avoid hurt feelings (rhetoric is fancy language often used to impress, persuade, or confuse). Lumped negatively together, they emphasize a company's value of straightforward honesty (candor) over sensitivity.
Here lies a paradox of the road trip: It is a venture into the open frontier, circumscribed by the narrow confines of an automobile.
New York Times
(Sep 15, 2014)
circum (around) + scribere (to write)
The example sentence suggests that a road trip is a wild adventure into the unknown. For a less paradoxical road trip, one could first take a map, literally circumscribe it (draw a circle or line around specific points), and follow the planned routes within the circumscribed space of a car.
a diacritical mark (^) placed above a vowel in some languages to indicate a special phonetic quality
Exclamations often have a circumflex inflection, as "Really!" spoken in a sarcastic tone; that is, the pitch rises and falls.
Baum, Paull Franklin
circum (around) + flectere (to bend)
The word used to be a verb to describe how a charioteer turns his carriage and horses around. The chosen definition is for a noun, but as the example sentence shows, "circumflex" is most often used as an adjective. When not describing a manner of speaking, it describes body parts, such as the circumflex scapular artery in the shoulder or the circumflex femoral vein of the hip and thigh.
By 1522, Magellan’s expedition had successfully circumnavigated the globe, and Spanish colonies were sprouting across the Americas — Hispaniola, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Panama, Mexico.
Washington Post
circum (around) + navis (ship) + agere (to drive)
As the roots, definition, and example sentence show, circumnavigation usually involves a vehicle and its route usually covers the entire world. But the word can also generally refer to the act of going around something rather than through it (unlike circumvention, this is often seen as going around goal-blocking obstacles rather than avoiding something that is required).
circum (around) + ambi (around) + ulare (to go)
Because a person who circumambulates is usually on foot, the route is likely to be much shorter than one for a circumnavigator. In the example sentence, the pilgrims are deliberately circumambulating a religious shrine. This sense of purpose and direction differentiates the action from wandering.
Created on Fri Oct 23 11:20:14 EDT 2015
(updated Wed Dec 30 14:01:32 EST 2015)
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