circulate
to move in a circle or circuit; move or pass through a circuit back to the starting point: Blood circulates throughout the body.
to pass from place to place, from person to person, etc.: She circulated among her guests.
to be distributed or sold, especially over a wide area.
Library Science. (of books and other materials) to be available for borrowing by patrons of a library for a specified period of time.
to cause to pass from place to place, person to person, etc.; disseminate; distribute: to circulate a rumor.
Library Science. to lend (books and other materials) to patrons of a library for a specified period of time.
Origin of circulate
1Other words for circulate
Other words from circulate
- cir·cu·lat·a·ble, adjective
- cir·cu·la·tive [sur-kyuh-ley-tiv, -luh-tiv], /ˈsɜr kyəˌleɪ tɪv, -lə tɪv/, adjective
- cir·cu·la·to·ry [sur-kyuh-luh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee], /ˈsɜr kyə ləˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i/, adjective
- in·ter·cir·cu·late, verb, in·ter·cir·cu·lat·ed, in·ter·cir·cu·lat·ing.
- non·cir·cu·lat·ing, adjective
- non·cir·cu·la·to·ry, adjective
- pre·cir·cu·late, verb, pre·cir·cu·lat·ed, pre·cir·cu·lat·ing.
- re·cir·cu·late, verb, re·cir·cu·lat·ed, re·cir·cu·lat·ing.
- un·cir·cu·lat·ed, adjective
- un·cir·cu·lat·ing, adjective
- un·cir·cu·la·tive, adjective
- well-cir·cu·lat·ed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for circulate
/ (ˈsɜːkjʊˌleɪt) /
to send, go, or pass from place to place or person to person: don't circulate the news
to distribute or be distributed over a wide area
to move or cause to move through a circuit, system, etc, returning to the starting point: blood circulates through the body
to move in a circle: the earth circulates around the sun
Origin of circulate
1Derived forms of circulate
- circulative, adjective
- circulator, noun
- circulatory, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for circulate
[ sûr′kyə-lāt′ ]
To move in or flow through a circle or a circuit. Blood circulates through the body as it flows out from the heart to the tissues and back again.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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