circumnavigate

[sur-kuh m-nav-i-geyt]

See more synonyms for circumnavigate on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), cir·cum·nav·i·gat·ed, cir·cum·nav·i·gat·ing.

to sail or fly around; make the circuit of by navigation: to circumnavigate the earth.
to go or maneuver around: to circumnavigate the heavy downtown traffic.

Origin of circumnavigate

1625–35; < Latin circumnāvigātus (past participle of circumnāvigāre), equivalent to circum- circum- + nāvigātus; see navigate

Related formscir·cum·nav·i·ga·ble

[sur-kuh m-nav-i-guh-buh l] /ˌsɜr kəmˈnæv ɪ gə bəl/, adjectivecir·cum·nav·i·ga·tion, nouncir·cum·nav·i·ga·tor, nouncir·cum·nav·i·ga·to·ry

[sur-kuh m-nav-i-guh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] /ˌsɜr kəmˈnæv ɪ gəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i/, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for circumnavigation

course, tour, lap, route, district, deviation, diversion, perimeter, tract, winding, circumscription, gyration, whirl, ambit, zone, area, periphery, way, circle, wheel

Examples from the Web for circumnavigation

Historical Examples of circumnavigation

December 27th: "Sailed from England on our circumnavigation."
More Letters of Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
One of his ships completed the first circumnavigation of the globe.
The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 9
Various
Their greatest undertaking was the circumnavigation of Africa.
The World's Progress, Vol. I (of X)
Various
The priests in yellow looked on, profoundly impressed by our circumnavigation.
Hilda Wade
Grant Allen
There are various accounts of the circumnavigation of Africa in old times.
Mythical Monsters
Charles Gould

British Dictionary definitions for circumnavigation

circumnavigate

verb

(tr) to sail or fly completely around

Derived Formscircumnavigable, adjectivecircumnavigation, nouncircumnavigator, noun

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

Word Origin and History for circumnavigation

1705, from circumnavigate + -ion.

circumnavigate

1630s, from Latin circumnavigatus, past participle of circumnavigare "to sail round," from circum "around" (see circum-) + navigare (see navigation). Related: Circumnavigated; circumnavigating; circumnavigable.