Circled

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈsɜː(ɹ)kəld/

Definitions

1. Indicated or highlighted by drawing a round line around it
2. Surrounded by a circular line to emphasize or identify it
3. Enclosed within a ring-shaped mark to draw attention to it

Etymology: "Circled" is the past tense and past participle of "circle," so its history is that of the verb's root. The noun "circle" came into Middle English from Old French "cercle," which in turn descended from Latin "circulus," a little "circus," or ring. The Latin word was itself a diminutive of "circus," meaning circle or circus, and that came from Ancient Greek "kírkos," meaning ring or circle. The Greek word is related to the Old English "hring," which is still the root of modern "ring," so English has long had two words for the same basic shape, one borrowed and one inherited. The "circus" that entertains crowds is the same word as the ring the Romans drew for their races and shows, which is why the arena and the geometric figure share a root. A circle that was once a literal ring of people or objects is therefore the earliest sense behind the verb as well.

Synonyms: enclosed, surrounded, looped