circular
Americanadjective
-
having the form of a circle; round.
a circular tower.
-
of or relating to a circle.
a circular plane.
-
moving in or forming a circle or a circuit.
the circular rotation of the earth.
-
moving or occurring in a cycle or round.
the circular succession of the seasons.
-
roundabout; indirect; circuitous.
a circular route.
-
Logic. of or relating to reasoning in which the conclusion is ostensibly proved, but in actuality it or its equivalent has been assumed as a premise.
-
pertaining to a circle or set of persons.
-
(of a letter, memorandum, etc.) addressed to a number of persons or intended for general circulation.
noun
-
circulars
plural
adjective
-
of, involving, resembling, or shaped like a circle
-
circuitous
-
(of arguments) futile because the truth of the premises cannot be established independently of the conclusion
-
travelling or occurring in a cycle
-
(of letters, announcements, etc) intended for general distribution
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
circularitynoun
-
circularnessnoun
-
noncircularadjective
-
subcircularadjective
-
uncircularadjective
-
circularlyadverb
-
noncircularlyadverb
-
subcircularlyadverb
-
uncircularlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of circular
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin circulāris, equivalent to circul(us), circlus “a circular form or figure; a ring or circle” + -āris adjective suffix; see origin at circle, -ar 1
Explanation
If something is circular, it has a round shape. You might take a circular route on your jog, running all the way around the park. You can build a circular fence around your garden, or pipe frosting flowers in a circular design on top of a birthday cake. Look at either from above, and they form circles. In logic, a circular argument is one that ends up exactly where it started — you assume something, rather than proving it. A paper advertisement can also be called a circular, from the idea that it's distributed to a certain circle, or group, of people.
Vocabulary lists containing circular
Geometry - Introductory
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Geometry (Base List)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Measurement and Data
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Additionally, Nvidia will invest $1.5 billion into SB Energy, though the company preemptively pushed back on critiques about so-called circular financing, which has fueled fears about an AI bubble that will eventually burst.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
Nvidia has moved beyond earlier mechanisms for circular financing, such as making equity investments in OpenAI and other AI firms, to newer structures that make chip purchases cheaper by lowering the cost of borrowing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
By using institutional investors, Huang said the deal is designed to avoid concerns of circular financing for the AI buildout.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
At the nearby St John's Way estate, the houses are arranged in circular terraced blocks with large courtyards.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
“That’s the drain in the cafeteria floor!” said Grace, peering up twenty feet to a circular, slatted grate.
From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein
Dig through that stack of mail on your counter for circulars and search your email inbox for any grocery-store brand names to scope out advertised deals.
From MarketWatch ● May 22, 2026
If you’re looking for a specific brand or item, you can search for it instead of wading through dozens of printed circulars.
From Salon ● Feb. 11, 2025
The purpose of the circulars - or memos - is to provide police forces with guidance, policy updates and administrative instructions.
From BBC ● Jan. 9, 2025
New said investigators found that all of the circulars were being mailed from a single post office in Lansford.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 15, 2022
She wrote circulars and articles about it, and the student union got involved.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
