[syn: circular, rotary, orbitual]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Cyclic \Cyc"lic\ (s?k"l?k or s?"kl?k), Cyclical \Cyc"lic*al\
(s?k"l?-kal), a. [Cf. F. cycluque, Gr. kykliko`s, fr. ky`klos
See Cycle.]
1. Of or pertaining to a cycle or circle; moving in cycles;
as, cyclical time. --Coleridge.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Chemistry) Having atoms bonded to form a ring structure.
Opposite of acyclic.
Note: Used most commonly in respect to organic compounds.
Note: [Narrower terms: bicyclic; heterocyclic;
homocyclic, isocyclic]
Syn: closed-chain, closed-ring.
[WordNet 1.5]
3. Recurring in cycles[2]; having a pattern that repeats at
approximately equal intervals; periodic. Opposite of
noncyclic.
Note: [Narrower terms: alternate(prenominal),
alternating(prenominal); alternate(prenominal), every
other(prenominal), every second(prenominal);
alternating(prenominal), oscillating(prenominal);
biyearly; circadian exhibiting 24-hour
periodicity); circular; daily, diurnal;
fortnightly, biweekly; hourly; midweek,
midweekly; seasonal; semestral, semestrial;
semiannual, biannual, biyearly; semiweekly,
biweekly; weekly; annual, yearly; biennial;
bimonthly, bimestrial; half-hourly; half-yearly;
monthly; tertian, alternate(prenominal);
triennial]
[WordNet 1.5]
4. Marked by repeated cycles[2].
[WordNet 1.5]
Cyclic chorus, the chorus which performed the songs and
dances of the dithyrambic odes at Athens, dancing round
the altar of Bacchus in a circle.
Cyclic poets, certain epic poets who followed Homer, and
wrote merely on the Trojan war and its heroes; -- so
called because keeping within the circle of a single
subject. Also, any series or coterie of poets writing on
one subject. --Milman.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Circular \Cir"cu*lar\, a. [L. circularis, fr. circulus circle:
cf. F. circulaire. See Circle.]
[1913 Webster]
1. In the form of, or bounded by, a circle; round.
[1913 Webster]
2. repeating itself; ending in itself; reverting to the point
of beginning; hence, illogical; inconclusive; as, circular
reasoning.
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3. Adhering to a fixed circle of legends; cyclic; hence,
mean; inferior. See Cyclic poets, under Cyclic.
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Had Virgil been a circular poet, and closely adhered
to history, how could the Romans have had Dido?
--Dennis.
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4. Addressed to a circle, or to a number of persons having a
common interest; circulated, or intended for circulation;
as, a circular letter.
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A proclamation of Henry III., . . . doubtless
circular throughout England. --Hallam.
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5. Perfect; complete. [Obs.]
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A man so absolute and circular
In all those wished-for rarities that may take
A virgin captive. --Massinger.
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Circular are, any portion of the circumference of a circle.
Circular cubics (Math.), curves of the third order which
are imagined to pass through the two circular points at
infinity.
Circular functions. (Math.) See under Function.
Circular instruments, mathematical instruments employed for
measuring angles, in which the graduation extends round
the whole circumference of a circle, or 360[deg].
Circular lines, straight lines pertaining to the circle, as
sines, tangents, secants, etc.
Circular note or Circular letter.
(a) (Com.) See under Credit.
(b) (Diplomacy) A letter addressed in identical terms to a
number of persons.
Circular numbers (Arith.), those whose powers terminate in
the same digits as the roots themselves; as 5 and 6, whose
squares are 25 and 36. --Bailey. --Barlow.
Circular points at infinity (Geom.), two imaginary points
at infinite distance through which every circle in the
plane is, in the theory of curves, imagined to pass.
Circular polarization. (Min.) See under Polarization.
Circular sailing or Globular sailing (Naut.), the method
of sailing by the arc of a great circle.
Circular saw. See under Saw.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Circular \Cir"cu*lar\, n. [Cf. (for sense 1) F. circulaire,
lettre circulaire. See Circular, a.]
[1913 Webster]
1. A circular letter, or paper, usually printed, copies of
which are addressed or given to various persons; as, a
business circular.
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2. A sleeveless cloak, cut in circular form.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
circular
adj 1: having a circular shape [syn: round, circular] [ant:
square]
2: describing a circle; moving in a circle; "the circular motion
of the wheel" [syn: circular, rotary, orbitual]
n 1: an advertisement (usually printed on a page or in a
leaflet) intended for wide distribution; "he mailed the
circular to all subscribers" [syn: circular, handbill,
bill, broadside, broadsheet, flier, flyer,
throwaway]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
92 Moby Thesaurus words for "circular":
O-shaped, actuate, ambagious, anfractuous, announcement, annular,
annulate, annulose, annunciation, backhanded, booklet, brochure,
bulletin board, chapbook, circinate, circuitous, circulate,
circumlocutory, comic book, communique, coronary, crownlike,
cyclic, cycloid, declaration, deviating, deviative, devious,
diffuse, digressive, discoid, discursive, disklike, disperse,
disseminate, distribute, edict, encyclical, enunciation, exchange,
excursive, fallacious, flow, folder, helical, illogical,
inconsistent, indirect, interchange, irrational, leaflet,
manifesto, meandering, notice, notification, oblique, orbital,
out-of-the-way, pamphlet, periphrastic, position paper,
proclamation, program, programma, pronouncement, pronunciamento,
propagate, public notice, radiate, redundant, report, revolve,
ring-shaped, ringlike, rotary, rotate, round, roundabout, rounded,
set off, sophistic, sophistical, spiral, statement, strew,
tortuous, tract, twisted, twisting, ukase, white book,
white paper