circular

[sur-kyuh-ler]

adjective

1. having the form of a circle; round.

   a circular tower.

2. of or relating to a circle.

   a circular plane.

3. moving in or forming a circle or a circuit.

   the circular rotation of the earth.

4. moving or occurring in a cycle or round.

   the circular succession of the seasons.

5. roundabout; indirect; circuitous.

   a circular route.

6. Logic.,  of or relating to reasoning in which the conclusion is ostensibly proved, but in actuality it or its equivalent has been assumed as a premise.

7. pertaining to a circle or set of persons.

8. (of a letter, memorandum, etc.) addressed to a number of persons or intended for general circulation.

noun

1. Also circ a letter, advertisement, notice, or statement for circulation among the general public.

   Synonyms: leaflet, flier, handbill

circular

/ ˈsɜːkjʊlə, ˌsɜːkjʊˈlærɪtɪ /

adjective

1. of, involving, resembling, or shaped like a circle

2. circuitous

3. (of arguments) futile because the truth of the premises cannot be established independently of the conclusion

4. travelling or occurring in a cycle

5. (of letters, announcements, etc) intended for general distribution

noun

1. a printed or duplicated advertisement or notice for mass distribution

Other Word Forms

• circularity noun
• circularness noun
• circularly adverb
• noncircular adjective
• noncircularly adverb
• subcircular adjective
• subcircularly adverb
• uncircular adjective
• uncircularly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of circular¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin circulāris, equivalent to circul(us), circlus “a circular form or figure; a ring or circle” + -āris adjective suffix; circle, -ar ¹

Example Sentences

“But they’re exhibiting great capital discipline. If you’re worried about the circular financing and overspending, Apple is sidestepping all of that.”

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He adds that the work also highlights the growing importance of circular phonon fields, first demonstrated by the group in 2017, as a powerful tool for manipulating unconventional material phases.

Read more on Science Daily

For many of the largest tech firms, including AMD, taking big, bold bets has meant entering into circular funding arrangements.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The issue of “circular financing” in the AI space, highlighted by Nvidia’s investments in unprofitable companies—such as OpenAI and Anthropic—as well as start-ups such as Mistral and Reflection—also remains unresolved.

Read more on Barron's

Just like how water moves inside a glass when it’s stirred, planetary waves are caused by a planet’s rotation and move the air and oceans around in a circular pattern, shaping its weather.

Read more on Space Scoop