US /ˌsɝ.kəmˈnæv.ɪ.ɡeɪt/ UK /ˌsə.kəmˈnæv.ɪ.ɡeɪt/
verb Freq #75236

Meanings

  1. 1
    verb

    To travel all the way around something, especially the world by sea.

    Magellan's crew was the first to circumnavigate the globe.

  2. 2
    verb

    To get around an obstacle or rule; to circumvent.

    He found a clever way to circumnavigate the strict new regulations.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 verb · to travel all the way... compassgo aroundsail around
2 verb · to get around an obstacle... go around
Word family
Forms circumnavigatedcircumnavigatescircumnavigating
Derived forms circumnavigatoryuncircumnavigated
Related forms circumnavigationcircumnavigatornavigate

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin circumnāvigātus, perfect passive participle of circumnāvigō (“sail round something, circumnavigate”), from circum (“about, around”) + nāvigō (“sail, navigate”), from nāvis (“ship”) + agō (“do”). By surface analysis, circum- + navigate.

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Topics

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