Meanings
present singular third person squares the circle · participle present squaring the circle · participle past squared the circle · past squared the circle
- literalgeometryTo construct a square with the same area as a given circle by using only a finite number of steps with compass and straightedge, a task which is mathematically impossible.
The problem of squaring the circle is the problem of determining the ratio of the circumference of a circle to the diameter, which is called π.
1946, Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, I.24 - figurativelyTo solve a famously difficult or impossible problem.
Translations
Arabic رَبَّعَ الدائِرة
- رَبَّعَ الدائِرة (rabbaʕa d-dāʔira)to construct a square with the same area as a circle
Chinese Cantonese 化圓為方 /化圆为方
- 化圓為方 /化圆为方to construct a square with the same area as a circle
Chinese Mandarin 化圓為方 /化圆为方, 化圓為方 /化圆为方
- 化圓為方 /化圆为方to construct a square with the same area as a circle
- 化圓為方 /化圆为方to solve a difficult problem
Finnish neliöidä ympyrä, neliöidä ympyrä
- neliöidä ympyräto construct a square with the same area as a circle
- neliöidä ympyräto solve a difficult problem
French trouver la quadrature du cercle
- trouver la quadrature du cercleto solve a difficult problem
German den Kreis quadrieren, die Quadratur des Kreises finden
- den Kreis quadrierento construct a square with the same area as a circle
- die Quadratur des Kreises findento solve a difficult problem
Greek τετραγωνίζω τον κύκλο, τετραγωνίζω τον κύκλο
- τετραγωνίζω τον κύκλο (tetragonízo ton kýklo)to construct a square with the same area as a circle
- τετραγωνίζω τον κύκλο (tetragonízo ton kýklo)to solve a difficult problem
Hungarian kört négyszögesít, kört négyszögesít
- kört négyszögesítto construct a square with the same area as a circle
- kört négyszögesítto solve a difficult problem
Italian trovare la quadratura del cerchio, trovare la quadratura del cerchio
- trovare la quadratura del cerchioto construct a square with the same area as a circle
- trovare la quadratura del cerchioto solve a difficult problem
Polish robić kwadraturę koła, zrobić kwadraturę koła
- robić kwadraturę kołato construct a square with the same area as a circle
- zrobić kwadraturę kołato construct a square with the same area as a circle
- rozwiązywać zagadkęto solve a difficult problem
- rozwiązać zagadkęto solve a difficult problem
Spanish hallar la cuadratura del círculo
- hallar la cuadratura del círculoto solve a difficult problem
Cite this entry
square the circle. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/square%20the%20circle
“square the circle.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/square%20the%20circle. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “square the circle,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/square%20the%20circle.
Source: square the circle on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.