ENGLISH
REFERENCE

circuit

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ˈsɝkət// UK //sˈɜːkɪt// cir·cuit Archaic General-service

n. a complete path that electricity flows through, or a regular route that someone travels for work or sport. You can think of it like a loop that starts and ends in the same place.

n. a complete and closed path through which an electric current can flow, or a regular journey around a series of places for a specific purpose. Often used to describe professional sporting tours or judicial districts.


SIMPLE

The light won't turn on because the circuit is broken.

CONTEXTUAL

The young tennis player spent the entire summer traveling on the professional circuit to improve her ranking.

COMPLEX

Engineers must ensure that the integrated circuit can handle the voltage without overheating, as any failure in the loop would render the entire device non-functional.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

From Middle English circuit, from Old French circuit, from Latin circuitus (“a going round”), from circuire (“go round”), from circum (“around”) + ire.

Etymology 2

A calque of Chinese 道 (dào) or 路 (lù).

Usage

Commonly used with the verbs 'break', 'close', or 'complete' in electrical contexts, and 'on the' when referring to professional tours.

Idioms1 entry

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