Adjacent Words

Circumference definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

CIRCUMFERENCE, n.
1. The line that bounds a circle; the exterior line of a circular body; the whole exterior surface of a round body; a periphery.
2. The space included in a circle.
3. An orb; a circle; any thing circular or orbicular; as in Milton, speaking of a shield.
The broad circumference hung on his shoulders like the moon.
CIRCUMFERENCE, v.t. To include in a circular space.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the size of something as given by the distance around it [syn: circumference, perimeter]
2: the boundary line encompassing an area or object; "he had walked the full circumference of his land"; "a danger to all races over the whole circumference of the globe" [syn: circumference, circuit]
3: the length of the closed curve of a circle

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, from Latin circumferentia, from circumferre to carry around, from circum- + ferre to carry — more at bear Date: 14th century 1. the perimeter of a circle 2. the external boundary or surface of a figure or object ; periphery • circumferential adjective

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 the enclosing boundary, esp. of a circle or other figure enclosed by a curve. 2 the distance round. Derivatives: circumferential adj. circumferentially adv. Etymology: ME f. OF circonference f. L circumferentia (as CIRCUM-, ferre bear)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Circumference Cir*cum"fer*ence, v. t. To include in a circular space; to bound. [Obs.] --Sir T. Browne.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Circumference Cir*cum"fer*ence, n. [L. circumferentia.] 1. The line that goes round or encompasses a circular figure; a periphery. --Millon. 2. A circle; anything circular. His ponderous shield . . . Behind him cast. The broad circumference Hung on his shoulders like the moon. --Milton. 3. The external surface of a sphere, or of any orbicular body.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. The circumference of a circle, place, or round object is the distance around its edge. ...a scientist calculating the earth's circumference... The island is 3.5 km in circumference. 2. The circumference of a circle, place, or round object is its edge. Cut the salmon into long strips and wrap it round the circumference of the bread.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Periphery.

Moby Thesaurus

O, ambit, annular muscle, annulus, areola, aureole, border, boundaries, boundary, bounds, bourns, chaplet, circle, circuit, circumscription, circus, closed circle, compass, confines, coordinates, corona, coronet, cortex, covering, crown, crust, cycle, diadem, discus, disk, edges, envelope, epidermis, eternal return, exterior, external, facade, face, facet, fairy ring, fringe, fringes, front, garland, glory, halo, integument, lasso, limitations, limits, lineaments, logical circle, loop, looplet, magic circle, marches, margin, metes, metes and bounds, noose, orbit, outer face, outer layer, outer side, outer skin, outline, outlines, outside, outskirts, pale, parameters, perimeter, periphery, radius, rim, rind, ring, rondelle, round, roundel, saucer, shell, skin, skirts, sphincter, superficies, superstratum, surface, top, verges, vicious circle, wheel, wreath