circumnavigate

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˌsɝ.kəmˈnæv.ɪ.ɡeɪt/ UK /ˌsə.kəmˈnæv.ɪ.ɡeɪt/ See IPA manual

Freq #75236

Meanings

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

verb
To get around an obstacle or rule; to circumvent.

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

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

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.

*h₂eǵ- Proto-Indo-European circumnāvigātus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# circumnavigate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˌsɝ.kəmˈnæv.ɪ.ɡeɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌsə.kəmˈnæv.ɪ.ɡeɪt/
**Frequency rank:** 75236

## Meanings
1. To travel all the way around something, especially the world by sea.
2. To get around an obstacle or rule; to circumvent.

## Examples
- Magellan's crew was the first to circumnavigate the globe.
- He found a clever way to circumnavigate the strict new regulations.

## Derived Forms
- circumnavigatory
- uncircumnavigated

## Related Forms
- circumnavigation
- circumnavigator
- navigate

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *h₂eǵ-
- Root: circumnāvigātus
- Affix: circum- - around

## 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.

## AI Etymology
Circumnavigate is 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. In present-day use, it can mean to travel all the way around something, especially the world by sea, or to get around an obstacle or rule; to circumvent. Derived formations include circumnavigatory and uncircumnavigated.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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