circular measure

American  

noun

1. a measurement system for circles: 1 circle = 360 degrees (4 quadrants); 1 quadrant = 90 degrees; 1 degree = 60 minutes; 1 minute = 60 seconds.

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circular measure British  

noun

1. the measurement of an angle in radians

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Etymology

Origin of circular measure

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

For some purposes it is preferable to retain the circular measure, i radians, as being undistinguishable from sin i and tan i when i is small as in direct fire.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Part 1, Slice 2 "Baconthorpe" to "Bankruptcy" by Various

Nauticus lays down—quite correctly—that the sine of an angle is less than its circular measure.

From A Budget of Paradoxes, Volume II by Smith, David Eugene