Word.ws English Dictionary

circle

Syllables: cir·cleUK/ˈsɜːkəl//ˈsɜɹkəl/

circle noun: 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). Also the indirect form of words.

circle: a two-dimensional geometric figure, a line, consisting of the set of all those points in a plane...
Image: Dakdada, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Noun

circle (plural circles)

  1. 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).
    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.
      • Near-synonyms: coil, ring, loop
    2. The orbit of an astronomical body.
    3. A circle of latitude.
      • the 49th circle
      • Antarctic Circle, Arctic Circle
  2. 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.
  3. 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. 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.
    4. A magic circle.
    5. 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.
    6. (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[…]2011, Charles E. Webb, Downfall and Freedom, page 120
    7. A headband or diadem.
    8. A road with a curve in it or that ends in a circle, e.g., a cul-de-sac.
      • I live on Grover Circle.
    9. A curved level of a balcony of seats in a theater.
    10. 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.
    11. (camping) A campfire circle.
    12. A circle dance.
  4. A specific group of persons; especially one who shares a common interest.
    • I need an in to start hanging out with that circle.
    • literary circle
    1. The people who associate with and follow someone; one's inner circle.
      • I don't trust anyone in his circle.
    2. (Japanese) Synonym of doujin circle.
  5. A real or figurative cycle.
    • the circle of the wheel
    • We've come full circle.
    1. A series ending where it begins, and repeating itself.
      • Thus in a circle runs the peasant's pain.1697, Virgil, “The Second Book of the Georgics”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC
    2. 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.1661, Joseph Glanvill, chapter XVIII, in The Vanity of Dogmatizing: Or Confidence in Opinions. […], London: […] E. C[otes] for Henry Eversden […], →OCLC, page 171
  6. A territorial division or district.
    • 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. An area near a concert set aside for aggressive moshing.
    2. (broadly, figuratively) 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.
      • in the circle of this forestc. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount...
  7. (in plural) A bagginess of the skin below the eyes from lack of sleep.
    • After working all night, she had circles under her eyes.
  8. (University of Warwick slang) An event at which circling takes place.

Verb

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.
    • Other planets circle other suns.1733, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Man. […], (please specify |epistle=I to IV), London: […] J[ohn] Wilford, […], →OCLC
    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, transitive) To take part in a magic circle.
      • I circled with that group for three years.
    4. (obsolete, transitive) To add someone to a circle on the social media site Google+.
  3. (intransitive) To travel in circles.
    • Vultures circled overhead.
    Synonyms:
    gyrate
    1. (intransitive, 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. (figuratively, intransitive, transitive) 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.

Proper noun (1) capitalized: Circle

Circle

  1. 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.
  2. A town, the county seat of McCone County, Montana, United States. Named after a cattle brand in the form of a circle.
  3. 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.2012, Andrew Martin, Underground Overground: A passenger's history of the Tube, Profile Books, →ISBN, page 48

Proper noun (2) capitalized: Circle

Circle (plural Circles)

  1. A surname from German.

Also used as

circle is also the indirect form of words.

circle meaning in Hindi, Tamil, Marathi and Urdu

circle in Hindi

geometry: set of points that are equally distant from a center
चक्र cakra, वृत्त vŕtt
thin three-dimensional equivalent of these geometric figures
गोला golā
travel around along a curved path
परिक्रमा parikramā, प्रदक्षिणा pradakṣiṇā
surround
घेराव gherāv

circle in Tamil

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

circle in Marathi

geometry: set of points that are equally distant from a center
वर्तुळ vartuḷ, गोल gol

circle in Urdu

geometry: set of points that are equally distant from a center
دائِرَہ dāira, چَکْر cakr
specific group of persons
حلقہ halqa
More languagesFewer languages
circle in Bengali
বৃত্ত britto
circle in Telugu
వృత్తము vr̥ttamu, చుట్టివచ్చుట cuṭṭivaccuṭa, చుట్టుముట్టు cuṭṭumuṭṭu
circle in Malayalam
വട്ടം vaṭṭaṁ, വൃത്തം vr̥ttaṁ
circle in Kannada
ವೃತ್ತ vṛtta, ವರ್ತುಳ vartuḷa
circle in Odia
ବୃତ୍ତ brutta
circle in Sanskrit
चक्र cakrá, वर्तुल vartula, मण्डल máṇḍala
circle in Assamese
বৃত্ত britto
circle in Pashto
دايره dāyrá, حلقه halqá
circle in Tagalog
bilog
circle in Arabic
دَائِرَة dāʔira, حَلْقَة ḥalqa, دَوَائِر تَحْتَ ٱلْعَيْنَيْن dawāʔir taḥta l-ʕaynayn
circle in Malay
bulatan
circle in Indonesian
lingkaran
circle in Persian
جرگه jerge
circle in Thai
แหวน wɛ̌ɛn, วง wong, กง gong, แวดวง wɛ̂ɛt-wong
circle in Vietnamese
vòng tròn, đường tròn
circle in Myanmar
စကြာ ca.kra

Examples of circle in a sentence

  • We've been talking in circles.
  • As his name gradually became known, the circle of his acquaintance widened.1856 February, [Thomas Babington] Macaulay, “Oliver Goldsmith”, in T[homas] F[lower] E[llis], editor, The Miscellaneous Writings and...
  • Has he given the lie, / In circle, or oblique, or semicircle.1610 (first performance), Ben[jamin] Jonson, The Alchemist, London: […] Thomas Snodham, for Walter Burre, and are to be sold by Iohn...
  • Their heads are circled with a short turban.1699, William Dampier, Voyages and Descriptions:

All 40 example sentences with circle

Synonyms of circle

19 more synonymsFewer synonyms

All synonyms of circle

Forms of circle

Noun
pluralcircles
Verb
third-person singular presentcircles
present participlecircling
past participlecircled
pastcircled
Proper noun
pluralCircles

Past tense of circle: circled

Plural of circle: circles

Origin of 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.

From the standard noun circle.

Americanized form of German Zirkel.

Words formed from circle

Phrases with circle

128 more phrasesFewer phrases

Words that rhyme with circle

Questions about circle

What does circle mean?
Circle means 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).
What is circle in Hindi?
Circle in Hindi is चक्र (cakra), वृत्त (vŕtt), गोला (golā). See Circle meaning in Hindi.
How do you use circle in a sentence?
We've been talking in circles.
What part of speech is circle?
Circle can be a noun, a verb or a proper noun.
How do you pronounce circle?
Circle is pronounced /ˈsɜɹkəl/ (US).
What is the plural of circle?
The plural of circle is circles.

Words near circle in the dictionary

  1. circingle
  2. circingles
  3. circinnate
  4. circinteractome
  5. Circinus
  6. circle
  7. circle back
  8. circle changeup
  9. circle changeups
  10. Circle City
  11. circle contact lens

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: circle (page history and authors); Circle (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated:

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: en-us-circle.ogg, en-au-circle.ogg.

Cite this entry: “circle.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/circle. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.