circum-

(Latin: around, about, surrounding, closed curve, circling, circular on all sides; literally, "in a circle")

circumaustral (adjective), more circumaustral, most circumaustral
Referring to the distribution of organisms around the high latitudes of the southern hemisphere: The circumaustral scattering pattern of living forms of life are found around the high latitudes of the southern hemisphere in the austral region next to the Antarctic zone.
circumbendibus (s) (noun), circumbendibuses (pl)
An indirect or roundabout course or way; especially, when speaking or writing.
circumboreal (adjective), more circumboreal, most circumboreal
Relating to the distribution of or occurring primarily around the boreal regions of North America and Eurasia; a special reference to plants.
circumcenter (s) (noun), circumcenters (pl)
The middle of a sphere: The circumcenter is the middle of a round object.
circumcircle (s) (noun), circumcircles (pl)
Used in mathematics, a round image with a simple closed curve which divides the plane into two regions of an interior and an exterior area.
circumcise (verb), circumcises; circumcised; circumcising
To cut the protecting foreskin off males, or to cut away a girl's clitoris and the skin around it, for medical, traditional, or religious reasons.
circumduct (verb), circumducts; circumducted; circumducting
In a general sense, to lead or to move around an axis.
circumduction (s) (noun), circumductions (pl)
1. The action of leading around or about; a roundabout or circuitous course.
2. An active or passive rotation of a limb or eye, particularly the swinging of an arm or leg in a conical figure, with the joint of the limb as the base of the cone.
circumesophagal (adjective), more circumesophagal, most circumesophagal
In zoology, relating to the surrounding of the esophagus; a reference to the nerve commissures and ganglia of arthropods and mollusks.
circumference (s) (noun), circumferences (pl)
1. The perimeter or line describing a circle: Mrs. Lori taught her students how to calculate the circumferences of round objects.
2. The distance around the widest part of a boundary area or the periphery enclosing a circular space: Susan and Sally, who were hikers, walked the circumference of the lake and found that it took them two hours to complete their journey.

When Tim and his family were in Southern California during their vacation, they sailed around the entire circumference

circumferentia (s) (noun), circumferentias (pl)
The outer limit or periphery of a rounded structure or body.
circumferential (adjective), more circumferential, most circumferential
Relating to the formation of an outer boundary; especially, of a circular area or a perimeter.
circumferential lamella (s) (noun), circumferential lamellas (pl)
1. One of a varying number of layers of bone encircling either the external surface of compact bone (lamella circumferentialis externa) or the internal surface lining the wall of the narrow cavity (lamella circumferentialis interna).
2. A thin layer of bone that is deposited under the periosteum (membrane that covers the outer surface of all bones) or the endosteum (thin vascular membrane of connective tissue that lines the surface of the bony tissue) that forms the medullary (soft substance) cavity of long bones
circumferentor (s) (noun), circumferentors (pl)
A surveyor's compass with diametral projecting arms is an instrument used to survey or to measure horizontal angles: A circumferentor is used in mines and in wooded or uncleared areas.

Circumferentors were typically mounted on tripods and rotated on ball-and-socket joints.

circumfix (s) (noun), circumfixes (pl)
Links which consist of two separate elements that are joined to a root or a stem of a word: Circumfixes contrast with prefixes that are placed at the beginnings of words; and suffixes which are put at the ends; and infixes, when they are inserted in the middle.

Here are just a few examples of circumfixes with the roots that are shown in red in order to distinguish them from the prefixes and the suffixes that are conjoined to them:

  • projects
  • rejected
  • rejecting
  • photographed
  • photographing
  • photographer
  • photographic
  • recapitulate
  • recapitulated
  • recapitulation
  • suggestion
  • suggested
  • suggesting
  • immortality
  • immortal
  • premortuary
  • disputable
  • disputing
  • computer
  • computable
  • retrospective
  • circumspection
  • perspective
  • irresponsible
  • respondent
  • unrespondent

Related "around, round, surrounding" units: ambi-; ampho-; circ-; cyclo-, -cycle; gyro-; peri-.