Circle

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈsɜɹkəl/

Definitions

1. A round, two-dimensional shape where all points on its edge are the same distance from the center
2. A geometric figure defined by all points being equidistant from a single point, also symbolizing wholeness or unity, and representing a gathering of people in a communal setting
3. A flat shape formed by points all equally spaced from its middle ; an assembly of individuals connected by shared interests or activities

Etymology: The English word arrived in two waves. Old English already had "ċircul," meaning "circle" or "zodiac," borrowed from Latin, but it was the Middle English "circle," from Old French "cercle," that eventually displaced it and survives today. The Latin source, "circulus," was a diminutive of "circus," which meant "circle" or "ring" before it ever meant a show tent or arena. Both trace back to Ancient Greek "kírkos," meaning "circle" or "ring," which is related to the Old English "hring," our modern "ring." That Greek-Latin-English chain puts the modern word in the same family as "ring," a fact many speakers would not guess. The Latin "circus" that gave us the "circle" was the same root that gave us the spectacle venue, though the arena sense arose in Latin itself rather than in English.

Synonyms: ring, loop, disk, sphere, cycle

Antonyms: line, straight, angle, point, corner