circle
SUR-kuhl
Circle (noun) means a perfectly round, flat shape where every point on the edge is the same distance from the centre. Example: “She drew a circle around the correct answer.”
noun
1
A perfectly round, flat shape where every point on the edge is the same distance from the centre.
"She drew a circle around the correct answer."
"The children sat in a circle on the carpet and sang."
"Use a compass to draw a perfect circle on the card."
2
A group of people connected by friendship, interest, or social standing.
"He moved in influential political circles."
"She has a small but close circle of friends."
"The author was well known in literary circles but unknown to the public."
verb
1
To move in a curved path around something, or to draw a ring around it.
"The hawk circled slowly above the field."
"Please circle your final answer."
"Seagulls circled the fishing boat as it returned to the harbour."
How to use circle
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe round shape, or a group of people someone associates with, or the act of moving/marking in a ring.
Common pairings
circle of friends
draw a circle
circle back
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- circles
- Past tense
- circled
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She drew a _____ around the correct answer.
Etymology
From Old French cercle and Latin circulus, a diminutive of circus ("ring"), itself from Greek kirkos.
Related words
Rhymes for circle
See all rhymes for circle →Frequently asked questions
What does “circle” mean?
The word “circle” means a perfectly round, flat shape where every point on the edge is the same distance from the centre. In plain terms, the round shape, or a group of people someone associates with, or the act of moving/marking in a ring.
How do you pronounce “circle”?
“Circle” is pronounced SUR-kuhl (/ˈsɜɹkəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “circle” in a sentence?
Here is “circle” used in a sentence: “She drew a circle around the correct answer.”
What part of speech is “circle”?
Depending on how it is used, “circle” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “circle” come from?
The word “circle” comes from Latin. From Old French cercle and Latin circulus, a diminutive of circus ("ring"), itself from Greek kirkos.
Is “circle” a common word?
“Circle” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “circle” have?
“Circle” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a perfectly round, flat shape where every point on the edge is the same distance from the centre.
What is the difference between a circle and a sphere?
A circle is flat — a two-dimensional shape you can draw on paper. A sphere is its three-dimensional version, like a ball or a globe, round in every direction. A coin shows a circle; a marble is a sphere. Think of a sphere as a circle given depth and volume.
What is the difference between a circle and an ellipse?
A circle is perfectly round, with every point on its edge exactly the same distance from the centre. An ellipse is a stretched or squashed circle — an oval shape with two different widths. Every circle is technically a special, perfectly even ellipse, but most ellipses are longer one way than the other.
What are the main parts of a circle?
The centre is the point in the middle. The radius is the distance from the centre to the edge, and the diameter is the full width across, passing through the centre — always twice the radius. The circumference is the distance all the way around the outside edge.
What is an example of a circle in everyday life?
Circles are everywhere — coins, wheels, clock faces, plates, buttons, and the rim of a cup seen from above. Anywhere something is perfectly round and flat, you are looking at a circle. Wheels are perhaps the most important example, since their circular shape is what lets them roll smoothly.
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