Synonyms

circa

American

[sur-kuh] / ˈsɜr kə /

preposition

about: used especially in approximate dates: ca, ca., c., c, cir., circ.

The Venerable Bede was born circa 673.

circa British

/ ˈsɜːkə /

preposition

Abbreviation: c.. ca.. (used with a date) at the approximate time of

circa 1182 bc.

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of circa

First recorded in 1860–65; from Latin: “around, about,” akin to circus circus

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

circa

Country singer Dolly Parton and her collaborator Porter Wagoner perform onstage in circa 1967.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

Say what you will about the Democratic establishment circa 2026.

From Slate ● Aug. 15, 2026

It was a luxurious time in media, circa 2011, when ESPN’s Grantland paid his $10,000 entry fee and said he could keep his winnings.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

Charlotte was cleaning out her parents’ garage last summer when she found a box of catalogs, circa 1996–1999. dELiA*s, MoxieGirl, Alloy — they were all there.

From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026

Its cousins around the nation had Lawrence family portrait, probably circa 1910.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023