cir·cum·fer·ence
(sər-kŭm′fər-əns)n.1. The boundary line of a circle.
2. a. The boundary line of an area or object.
b. Abbr. c or circ. The length of such a line.
3. The margin or area surrounding something.
[Middle English, from Old French
circonference, from Latin
circumferentia, from
circumferēns, circumferent-, present participle of
circumferre,
to carry around :
circum-,
circum- +
ferre,
to carry; see
bher- in
Indo-European roots.]
cir·cum′fer·en′tial (-fə-rĕn′shəl) adj.
Synonyms: circumference, circuit, compass, perimeter, periphery
These nouns refer to a boundary or area around the outer edge of something: drove around the circumference of the city; followed the circuit around the park; stayed within the compass of the schoolyard; walked the perimeter of the estate; fenced the periphery of the property.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Adj. | 1. | circumferential - lying around or just outside the edges or outskirts; "circumferential highways around cities"peripheral - on or near an edge or constituting an outer boundary; the outer area; "Russia's peripheral provinces"; "peripheral suburbs" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
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