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Synonyms

circumference

American  
[ser-kuhm-fer-uhns] / sərˈkʌm fər əns /

noun

  1. the outer boundary, especially of a circular area; perimeter.

    the circumference of a circle.
    Synonyms:
    circuit, periphery

  2. the length of such a boundary.

    a one-mile circumference.

  3. the area within a bounding line.

    the vast circumference of his mind.
circumference British  
/ səˌkʌmfəˈrɛnʃəl, səˈkʌmfərəns /

noun

  1. the boundary of a specific area or geometric figure, esp of a circle

  2. the length of a closed geometric curve, esp of a circle. The circumference of a circle is equal to the diameter multiplied by π

"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
circumference Scientific  
/ sər-kŭm′fər-əns /

  1. The boundary line of a circle.

  2. The boundary line of a figure, area, or object.

  3. The length of such a boundary. The circumference of a circle is computed by multiplying the diameter by pi.

circumference Cultural  

  1. The measure of the distance around a circle.

Other Word Forms

  • circumferential adjective
  • circumferentially adverb

Etymology

Origin of circumference

1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin circumferentia, equivalent to circum- circum- + fer- (stem of ferre to carry) + -entia -ence

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.

Abdominal obesity was defined as a waist circumference greater than 102 centimeters for men and 88 centimeters for women.

From Science Daily • Mar. 27, 2026

In a phase 2 trial in Chinese patients with Type 2 diabetes, UBT251 also showed a mean blood sugar reduction of up to 2.16% while improving patient’s waist circumference and blood pressure.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

UBT251 led to a mean weight loss of 19.7% after 24 weeks of treatment and also improved patients’ waist circumference, blood glucose, blood pressure, and lipids relative to placebo, the companies said.

From Barron's • Feb. 24, 2026

But the sheer sort of circumference of the dress makes her a woman who comes into a room and takes up space.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 16, 2025

He motioned for the others to follow him and slipped around the circumference of the rotunda.

From "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Chris Grabenstein

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.