circle
- 01 A2 Elementary
n.a perfectly round shape like a ring or a wheel.
n.a two-dimensional geometric figure consisting of all points in a plane equidistant from a central point.
Simple“The children sat in a circle on the floor to listen to the story.”
In context“The architect used a perfect circle as the central motif for the building's courtyard, symbolising unity and continuity.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
n.a group of people who know each other or share the same interests.
n.a specific social or professional group characterized by shared interests, status, or acquaintance.
Simple“She has a small circle of friends that she has known since primary school.”
In context“Within academic circles, the professor's latest theory on linguistic evolution has sparked significant debate and several follow-up studies.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.dark or puffy skin under your eyes, often because you are tired.
n.darkened or swollen areas of skin beneath the eyes, typically resulting from fatigue or lack of sleep.
Simple“He had dark circles under his eyes after staying up all night to study.”
In context“The actor used heavy makeup to hide the dark circles that had developed during the grueling three-month filming schedule.”
Usageusually plural
- 04 C1 Advanced
n.a way of arguing where you use your conclusion to prove your starting point.
n.a fallacious form of argument in which the conclusion is assumed in one of the premises.
Simple“His argument was just a circle; he said the law was good because it was the law.”
In context“The critic pointed out that the author's justification for the protagonist's actions was a logical circle that failed to provide external evidence.”
Synonymscircular reasoning - 05 B1 Intermediate
v.to move in a path that goes around something.
v.to move or travel along a curved path that surrounds a central object or area.
Simple“The birds started to circle high above the trees looking for food.”
In context“The satellite will circle the planet every ninety minutes, transmitting high-resolution data back to the ground station.”
- 06 A2 Elementary
v.to draw a round line around something on paper.
v.to encompass or mark a specific item by drawing a circular line around it.
Simple“Please circle the correct answer on your exam paper.”
In context“The editor used a red pen to circle several recurring grammatical errors in the final draft of the manuscript.”
From Middle English circle, cercle, from Old French cercle and Latin circulus, diminutive of Latin circus (“circle, circus”), from Ancient Greek κίρκος (kírkos, “circle, ring”), related to Old English hring (“ring”). Compare also Old English ċircul (“circle, zodiac”), which came from the same Latin source.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.