Circs

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /sɝks/

Definitions

1. Informal abbreviation for circumstances referring to the conditions or facts affecting a situation ; a colloquial short form for the protective coverings worn on the feet sometimes made of rubber or plastic ; an informal term that may also denote circular movements or actions in certain contexts
2. A casual or shortened expression for the surrounding factors influencing an event ; a slang term used to describe rubberized overshoes designed to shield footwear ; an informal designation that can imply rounds or cycles of motion depending on use
3. An abbreviated form commonly used to indicate the prevailing conditions or context ; a colloquialism for waterproof foot coverings typically worn over shoes ; a term that might additionally represent circular or repetitive movements in conversational language

Etymology: "Circs" is a clipped form of "circumstances," and its history is a case of two unrelated clippings sharing one shape. Its singular, "circ," is cut from "circumcision," the surgical removal of the foreskin, and the clipped "circumcise" likewise gave rise to it. The clipping process is what produced a term that now sounds like a casual name for conditions or situations. The sense of "circs" as "circumstances" comes from the longer word, which is itself a Latin-derived term: "circumstantia," from "circumstare," meaning "to stand around," built from "circum" ("around") and "stare" ("to stand"). The literal image is of things standing around a situation and shaping it. Among the words in the other senses listed here, a link to "circus" is also noted in the source, since "circ" is listed as related to "circus," though the paths of these words differ.

Synonyms: circles, circumferences