circum-

prefix

around, surrounding

Similar
peri-para-
OriginLatin circum- ← Ancient Greek κίρκος (kírkos) ← Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- →
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Meanings

prefix
  1. around, surrounding

    Synonyms: peri-, para-

Synonyms & antonyms

prefixaround, surrounding

Similar
peri-para-
Also see
para-peri-

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*(s)ker-
  2. Ancient Greekκίρκος (kírkos)
  3. Latincircus
  4. Latincircum
  5. Latincircum-
  6. Englishcircum-

Borrowed from Latin circum-, from circum, from circus. See also circle and circus.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

French circum-
  • circum-prefix meaning "around"
Hungarian körül-
  • körül-prefix meaning "around"
Icelandic um-
  • um-prefix meaning "around"
Italian circum-, circon-
  • circum-prefix meaning "around"
  • circon-prefix meaning "around"
Polish około-
  • około-prefix meaning "around"
Portuguese circum-, circun-
  • circum-prefix meaning "around"
  • circun-prefix meaning "around"
Russian около-, при-
  • около- (okolo-)prefix meaning "around"
  • при- (pri-)prefix meaning "around"
Ukrainian по-, над-
  • по- (po-)prefix meaning "around"
  • над- (nad-)prefix meaning "around"
  • під- (pid-)prefix meaning "around"
  • при- (pry-)prefix meaning "around"
Cite this entry
APA

circum-. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/circum-

MLA

“circum-.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/circum-. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “circum-,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/circum-.

Source: circum- on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.