circumference

[ ser-kuhm-fer-uhns ]

noun

1. the outer boundary, especially of a circular area; perimeter:

   the circumference of a circle.

   Synonyms: circuit, periphery

2. the length of such a boundary:

   a one-mile circumference.

3. the area within a bounding line:

   the vast circumference of his mind.

circumference

/ səˌkʌmfəˈrɛnʃəl; səˈkʌmfərəns /

noun

1. the boundary of a specific area or geometric figure, esp of a circle
2. the length of a closed geometric curve, esp of a circle. The circumference of a circle is equal to the diameter multiplied by π

circumference

/ sər-kŭm′fər-əns /

1. The boundary line of a circle.
2. The boundary line of a figure, area, or object.
3. The length of such a boundary. The circumference of a circle is computed by multiplying the diameter by pi.

circumference

1. The measure of the distance around a circle.

Derived Forms

• circumferential, adjective
• cirˌcumferˈentially, adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of circumference¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin circumferentia, equivalent to circum- circum- + fer- (stem of ferre to carry) + -entia -ence

Word History and Origins

Origin of circumference¹

C14: from Old French circonference, from Latin circumferre to carry around, from circum- + ferre to bear

Example Sentences

This hat will grow with your kids, suiting a circumference size of 7 to 12 inches.

From Popular-Science

Instead, in addition to looking at waist circumference, your health-care provider will note clinical markers indicative of visceral adiposity, Jay says.

From Washington Post

Effective range is the distance at which you can reliably place a shot within a circle that matches the size of the vital organs of an animal—about the circumference of a paper plate for a deer or an elk.

From Outside Online

Each band comes with two different lengths for the longer side to fit wrists between 5 and 8 inches in circumference.

From Popular-Science

For landscape shots, set your camera on screen mode so you aren’t blinded by the viewfinder, and shoot directly into the sun and around its circumference.

From Outside Online

The rest that extends beyond the circumference of the meat quickly melts down onto the surface of the flattop.

From The Daily Beast

Pi is officially defined as the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter.

From The Daily Beast

The course is about a mile and a half in circumference, and the "straight" about five furlongs in length.

From Project Gutenberg

Their branches describe a circle of more than eighty feet in circumference, but they no longer bear fruit.

From Project Gutenberg

The rock towers to a height of two hundred and fifty feet and is about a mile in circumference.

From Project Gutenberg

Its circumference is not very considerable, but nearly the same all the way up, which gives it the look of a tower.

From Project Gutenberg

On the circumference of the barrel are gear teeth, and those teeth engage corresponding teeth on the arbor of the center.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• girth