circle

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A perfectly round shape, like a ring.

   Children, please join hands and form a circle.

2. 2
   noun

   A group of people who know each other or share an interest.

   She is well known in his inner circle of friends.

3. 3
   verb

   To draw a circle around something.

   The teacher circled the spelling mistakes in red.

4. 4
   verb

   To move in a circle around something.

   The plane circled the airport before landing.

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.

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