circularity

Rarely cir·cu·lar·ness

[sur-kyuh-lar-i-tee]

noun

1. the state or quality of being in the shape or form of a circle.

   Circularity is the measurement of the roundness of the individual coins.

   Her tasseled yellow hijab accentuated the almost complete circularity of her face.

2. the state or quality of moving or occurring in a cycle.

   Detritus ecosystems flourish and collapse because they lack the sustaining circularity of other kinds of ecosystems.

   The circularity of history provides instruction, correction, and guidance.

3. (of reasoning or logic) the quality of having a conclusion that has been assumed as a premise.

   Despite the apparent circularity, the implication that "public goods should be public" seems like a natural one.

   Circularity is the hallmark of this chain of reasoning, which appears to conflate the process of creating the rule with the process of justifying it.

4. the practice of encouraging reuse, recycling, or sustainability in consumption, manufacturing, etc..

   For the coming year, we intend to focus on sustainability and on closing the loop and bringing circularity into our purchasing and consuming behavior.

   Several new technologies are enabling infrastructure to be designed with greater circularity.

Other Word Forms

• subcircularity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of circularity¹

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin circulāritas , equivalent to circular ( def. ) + -ity ( def. )

Example Sentences

That is largely because, for all the concern about the circularity of AI-funding investments of late —the idea that suppliers are funding their customers—the more important interconnection lies between AI and the broader economy.

Read more on Barron's

Second, there is a circularity problem with all the investment in AI.

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“There hasn’t historically been a pressing need for the industry to invest in circularity. But it’s not too late,” he said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In experiments, the team recycled the leftover carbon black and styrene monomer into polystyrene, demonstrating the circularity of the new method.

Read more on Science Daily

Do you see the problem of circularity here?

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• chain reaction 
• vicious cycle www.thesaurus.com