CIRCULAR
circular, rotary, orbitual
(adjective) describing a circle; moving in a circle; “the circular motion of the wheel”
round, circular
(adjective) having the shape or form of a circle
circular, handbill, bill, broadside, broadsheet, flier, flyer, throwaway
(noun) an advertisement (usually printed on a page or in a leaflet) intended for wide distribution; “he mailed the circular to all subscribers”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Adjective
circular (comparative more circular, superlative most circular)
Of or relating to a circle.
In the shape of, or moving in a circle.
Circuitous or roundabout.
Referring back to itself, so as to prevent computation or comprehension; infinitely recursive.
Distributed to a large number of persons.
(obsolete) Perfect; complete.
(archaic) Adhering to a fixed circle of legends; cyclic; hence, mean; inferior.
Hyponyms
• semicircular
Noun
circular (plural circulars)
synonym of flyer: a printed advertisement, directive, or notice intended for mass circulation.
Short for circular letter.
(dated) A sleeveless cloak cut from a circular pattern.
A shuttle bus with a circular route.
Verb
circular (third-person singular simple present circulars, present participle circularing, simple past and past participle circulared)
To distribute circulars to or at.
To extend in a circular direction.
Source: Wiktionary
Cir"cu*lar, a. Etym: [L. circularis, fr. circulus circle: cf. F.
circulaire. See Circle.]
1. In the form of, or bounded by, a circle; round.
2. repeating itself; ending in itself; reverting to the point of
beginning; hence, illogical; inconclusive; as, circular reasoning.
3. Adhering to a fixed circle of legends; cyclic; hence, mean;
inferior. See Cyclic poets, under Cyclic.
Had Virgil been a circular poet, and closely adhered to history, how
could the Romans have had Dido Dennis.
4. Addressed to a circle, or to a number of persons having a common
interest; circulated, or intended for circulation; as, a circular
letter.
A proclamation of Henry III., . . . doubtless circular throughout
England. Hallam.
5. Perfect; complete. [Obs.]
A man so absolute and circular In all those wished-for rarities that
may take A virgin captive. Massinger.
Circular are, any portion of the circumference of a circle.
– Circular cubics (Math.), curves of the third order which are
imagined to pass through the two circular points at infinity.
– Circular functions. (Math.) See under Function.
– Circular instruments, mathematical instruments employed for
measuring angles, in which the graduation extends round the whole
circumference of a circle, or 360Âş.
– Circular lines, straight lines pertaining to the circle, as
sines, tangents, secants, etc.
– Circular note or letter. (a) (Com.) See under Credit. (b)
(Diplomacy) A letter addressed in identical terms to a number of
persons.
– Circular numbers (Arith.), those whose powers terminate in the
same digits as the roots themselves; as 5 and 6, whose squares are 25
and 36. Bailey. Barlow.
– Circular points at infinity (Geom.), two imaginary points at
infinite distance through which every circle in the plane is, in the
theory of curves, imagined to pass.
– Circular polarization. (Min.) See under Polarization.
– Circular or Globular sailing (Naut.), the method of sailing by
the arc of a great circle.
– Circular saw. See under Saw.
Cir"cu*lar, n. Etym: [Cf. (for sense 1) F. circulaire, lettre
circulaire. See Circular, a.]
1. A circular letter, or paper, usually printed, copies of which are
addressed or given to various persons; as, a business circular.
2. A sleeveless cloak, cut in circular form.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition