CIRCLE

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does circle mean? 

• CIRCLE (noun)
  The noun CIRCLE has 8 senses:

1. ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point
2. an unofficial association of people or groups
3. something approximating the shape of a circle
4. movement once around a course
5. a road junction at which traffic streams circularly around a central island
6. street names for flunitrazepan
7. a curved section or tier of seats in a hall or theater or opera house; usually the first tier above the orchestra
8. any circular or rotating mechanism

  Familiarity information: CIRCLE used as a noun is common.

• CIRCLE (verb)
  The verb CIRCLE has 4 senses:

1. travel around something
2. move in circles
3. be around
4. form a circle around

  Familiarity information: CIRCLE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CIRCLE (noun)

Sense 1

circle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Context example:

he calculated the circumference of the circle

Hypernyms ("circle" is a kind of...):

ellipse; oval (a closed plane curve resulting from the intersection of a circular cone and a plane cutting completely through it)

Meronyms (parts of "circle"):

arc (a continuous portion of a circle)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "circle"):

epicycle (a circle that rolls around (inside or outside) another circle; generates an epicycloid or hypocycloid)

equator (a circle dividing a sphere or other surface into two usually equal and symmetrical parts)

circlet (a small circle)

circle of curvature; osculating circle (the circle that touches a curve (on the concave side) and whose radius is the radius of curvature)

Sense 2

circle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

An unofficial association of people or groups

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

band; circle; lot; set

Context examples:

the smart set goes there / they were an angry lot

Hypernyms ("circle" is a kind of...):

social group (people sharing some social relation)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "circle"):

company; party (a band of people associated temporarily in some activity)

jet set (a set of rich and fashionable people who travel widely for pleasure)

horsey set; horsy set (a set of people sharing a devotion to horses and horseback riding and horse racing)

Four Hundred (the exclusive social set of a city)

confederacy; conspiracy (a group of conspirators banded together to achieve some harmful or illegal purpose)

cohort (a band of warriors (originally a unit of a Roman Legion))

camp; clique; coterie; ingroup; inner circle; pack (an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose)

car pool (a small group of car drivers who arrange to take turns driving while the others are passengers)

Sense 3

circle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Something approximating the shape of a circle

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Context example:

the chairs were arranged in a circle

Hypernyms ("circle" is a kind of...):

form; shape (the spatial arrangement of something as distinct from its substance)

Sense 4

circle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Movement once around a course

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

circle; lap; circuit

Context example:

he drove an extra lap just for insurance

Hypernyms ("circle" is a kind of...):

locomotion; travel (self-propelled movement)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "circle"):

pace lap (the first lap of a car race that prepares the cars for a fast start)

lap of honour; victory lap (a lap by the winning person or team run to celebrate the victory)

Sense 5

circle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A road junction at which traffic streams circularly around a central island

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

traffic circle; roundabout; rotary; circle

Context example:

the accident blocked all traffic at the rotary

Hypernyms ("circle" is a kind of...):

junction (the place where two or more things come together)

Holonyms ("circle" is a part of...):

road; route (an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation)

Sense 6

circle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Street names for flunitrazepan

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

rophy; roofy; R-2; Mexican valium; forget me drug; rope; roach; circle

Hypernyms ("circle" is a kind of...):

flunitrazepan; Rohypnol (a depressant and tranquilizer (trade name Rohypnol) often used in the commission of sexual assault; legally available in Europe and Mexico and Colombia)

Sense 7

circle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A curved section or tier of seats in a hall or theater or opera house; usually the first tier above the orchestra

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

dress circle; circle

Context example:

they had excellent seats in the dress circle

Hypernyms ("circle" is a kind of...):

seating; seating area; seating room; seats (an area that includes places where several people can sit)

Holonyms ("circle" is a part of...):

house; theater; theatre (a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented)

Sense 8

circle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Any circular or rotating mechanism

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

circle; round

Context example:

the machine punched out metal circles

Hypernyms ("circle" is a kind of...):

rotating mechanism (a mechanism that rotates)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "circle"):

disc; disk (a flat circular plate)

• CIRCLE (verb)

Sense 1

circle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Travel around something

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

circle the globe

Hypernyms (to "circle" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "circle"):

circumambulate; walk around (walk around something)

circumnavigate; compass (travel around, either by plane or ship)

circle around; circle round; revolve around (move around in a circular motion)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 2

circle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Move in circles

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

circle; circulate

Hypernyms (to "circle" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "circle"):

loop (move in loops)

loop (fly loops, perform a loop)

troll (circulate, move around)

orb; orbit; revolve (move in an orbit)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Sense 3

circle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Be around

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

environ; encircle; surround; circle; round; ring

Context examples:

Developments surround the town / The river encircles the village

Hypernyms (to "circle" is one way to...):

bear; carry; contain; hold (contain or hold; have within)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "circle"):

twine (coil around)

wreath; wreathe (encircle with or as if with a wreath)

begird; gird; girt; girth (encircle or bind)

cloister (surround with a cloister, as of a garden)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sense 4

circle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Form a circle around

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

encircle; circle

Context example:

encircle the errors

Hypernyms (to "circle" is one way to...):

form; shape (give shape or form to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something