circa

American

[sur-kuh] / ˈsɜr kə /

preposition

about: used especially in approximate dates: ca, ca., c., c, cir., circ.

The Venerable Bede was born circa 673.

circa British

/ ˈsɜːkə /

preposition

Abbreviation: c.. ca.. (used with a date) at the approximate time of

circa 1182 bc.

"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 circa

First recorded in 1860–65; from Latin: “around, about,” akin to circus circus

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.

See Examples For:

circa

Navy Blue emerged from a depressive bout circa 2015, his freshman year of college.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026

Country singer Dolly Parton and her collaborator Porter Wagoner perform onstage in circa 1967.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

Say what you will about the Democratic establishment circa 2026.

From Slate ● Aug. 15, 2026

The short version is that even if you’re feeling less than patriotic under current conditions, the U.S. men’s national team, circa 2026, comes with high drama and an intriguing storyline.

From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026

My locker is decorated with a postcard of Edward from Twilight, circa 2008, courtesy of Phil, actually.

From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed

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