circulate

[ sur-kyuh-leyt ]

verb (used without object)

, cir·cu·lat·ed, cir·cu·lat·ing.

1. to move in a circle or circuit; move or pass through a circuit back to the starting point:

   Blood circulates throughout the body.

2. to pass from place to place, from person to person, etc.:

   She circulated among her guests.

3. to be distributed or sold, especially over a wide area.

   Synonyms: promulgate, lay, disperse

4. Library Science. (of books and other materials) to be available for borrowing by patrons of a library for a specified period of time.

verb (used with object)

, cir·cu·lat·ed, cir·cu·lat·ing.

1. to cause to pass from place to place, person to person, etc.; disseminate; distribute:

   to circulate a rumor.

2. Library Science. to lend (books and other materials) to patrons of a library for a specified period of time.

circulate

/ ˈsɜːkjʊˌleɪt /

verb

1. to send, go, or pass from place to place or person to person

   don't circulate the news

2. to distribute or be distributed over a wide area
3. to move or cause to move through a circuit, system, etc, returning to the starting point

   blood circulates through the body

4. to move in a circle

   the earth circulates around the sun

circulate

/ sûr′kyə-lāt′ /

1. To move in or flow through a circle or a circuit. Blood circulates through the body as it flows out from the heart to the tissues and back again.

Derived Forms

• ˈcirculatory, adjective
• ˈcircuˌlator, noun
• ˈcircuˌlative, adjective

Other Words From

• circu·lata·ble adjective
• cir·cu·la·tive [sur, -ky, uh, -ley-tiv, -l, uh, -tiv], adjective
• cir·cu·la·to·ry [sur, -ky, uh, -l, uh, -tawr-ee, -tohr-ee], adjective
• inter·circu·late verb intercirculated intercirculating
• non·circu·lating adjective
• non·circu·la·tory adjective
• pre·circu·late verb precirculated precirculating
• re·circu·late verb recirculated recirculating
• un·circu·lated adjective
• un·circu·lating adjective
• un·circu·lative adjective
• well-circu·lated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of circulate¹

1425–75 for earlier senses; 1665–75 for current senses; late Middle English < Latin circulātus (past participle of circulārī to gather round one, Medieval Latin circulāre to encircle), equivalent to circul ( us ) circle + -ātus -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of circulate¹

C15: from Latin circulārī to assemble in a circle, from circulus circle

Example Sentences

“It is disappointing that some would make up and circulate a rumor about him.”

From Los Angeles Times

Apple has been accused by the National Labor Relations Board of trying to prevent employees from discussing pay equity and pressuring an engineer who attempted to circulate an online survey about wages to quit.

From Los Angeles Times

“The whole point of fake news is not only to circulate different narratives but to undermine our ability to distinguish between these narratives and to trust authoritative sources of information,” Beiner said.

From Salon

A video of the violent witch-hunting altercation also began to circulate on Facebook, which is when Dr Igwe and his team noticed and began to investigate.

From BBC

The AI video has been viewed a million times on X and continues to circulate on the internet, trolling the relationship dynamic between frenemies Elphaba and Glinda, and the actors themselves.

From Salon

Related Words

• broadcast
• disperse
• disseminate
• distribute
• publicize
• publish
• spread