Where does “circumference” come from?
Circumference comes from Latin circumferentia, formed from circum- "around" and ferre "to carry," deriving from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- meaning "to bear or carry."
circumference (English): The line that bounds a circle or other...
Definitions
- The line that bounds a circle or other...
Ancestry of “circumference”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | circumferentia | circumference |
| 2 | Latin | circumferens | circling; circulating |
| 3 | Latin | circumfero | I carry, bear or move around or about; carry or... |
| 4 | Latin | circum- | circum- round, about |
| 5 | Latin | circum | about, around; in a circle, all around, on both... |
| 6 | Latin | circus | a circular line or orbit; circle, ring; a... |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | κρίκος | ring |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ḱer- | dung, manure, filth; manure, dung, filth |