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circumbendibus

American  
[sur-kuhm-ben-duh-buhs] / ˌsɜr kəmˈbɛn də bəs /

noun

Informal.

plural

circumbendibuses

  1. a roundabout way; circumlocution.

circumbendibus British  
/ ˌsɜːkəmˈbɛndɪbəs /

noun

  1. humorous a circumlocution

"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 circumbendibus

1675–85; circum- + bend 1 + Latin -ibus ablative plural ending

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.

And homeward, by the short small chimes of day, With many a circumbendibus to spare, For instance, twice round Finsbury Square, To use a fitting phrase, he wound his way.

From Project Gutenberg

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.