Word
circa
Phoneticscir·ca
US/ˈsɝkə/
UK/sˈɜːkɐ/
Definition
prep. about or around a certain time or amount.
prep. approximately; used before a date or figure to indicate an estimated value.
Examples
“The old church was built circa 1450.”
“The museum curator estimated that the bronze statue was cast circa 300 BC, though the exact decade remains unknown.”
“While the manuscript is undated, linguistic evidence suggests it was composed circa the late twelfth century, during a period of significant transition in the local dialect.”
Examples
simple
“The old church was built circa 1450.”
contextual
“The museum curator estimated that the bronze statue was cast circa 300 BC, though the exact decade remains unknown.”
complex
“While the manuscript is undated, linguistic evidence suggests it was composed circa the late twelfth century, during a period of significant transition in the local dialect.”
Usage
Usually abbreviated as 'c.' or 'ca.' in written texts.
Teaching tip
While common in history books and museums, it sounds overly formal in casual conversation; students should use 'about' or 'around' instead.
Pitfall
The building was finished in circa 1920.
The building was finished circa 1920.
Do not use 'in' before 'circa'. The word 'circa' already functions as the preposition for the date.
Real-World Examples
“I was trying to find a way of photographing gay men in Delhi, but this was circa 1982 – nobody would be in a picture.” “Chinese workers stand on a hill of guano on Peru’s Chincha Islands, circa 1865.” Synonyms
Antonyms
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/circa