roundabout

[ adjective round-uh-bout, round-uh-bout; noun round-uh-bout ]

adjective

1. circuitous or indirect, as a road, journey, method, statement or person.

   Synonyms: tortuous, rambling

2. (of clothing) cut circularly at the bottom; having no tails, train, or the like.

noun

1. a short, close-fitting coat or jacket worn by men or boys, especially in the 19th century.
2. British. a merry-go-round.
3. a circuitous or indirect road, method, etc.
4. Chiefly British. traffic circle.

roundabout

/ ˈraʊndəˌbaʊt /

noun

1. a revolving circular platform provided with wooden animals, seats, etc, on which people ride for amusement; merry-go-round
2. a road junction in which traffic streams circulate around a central island US and Canadian nametraffic circle
3. an informal name for boring mill

adjective

1. indirect or circuitous; devious

adverb

1. on all sides

   spectators standing round about

2. approximately

   at round about 5 o'clock

Word History and Origins

Origin of roundabout¹

1525–35; round ¹ (adv.) + about

Example Sentences

I go on roundabouts, but I keep coming back to Kate Bush.

From Los Angeles Times

In Paiporta, piles of mangled cars have been created on roundabouts and at other places out of the way of traffic.

From BBC

He dropped out from under the lorry near Wandsworth roundabout and disappeared into the capital.

From BBC

He then described climbing out from under the lorry near Wandsworth roundabout.

From BBC

Cartoon-like astronaut figurines and sculptures sit in the centre of children’s parks and plastic rockets are a centrepiece on most traffic roundabouts.

From BBC