Standard Lemma guide

circuitous

adj · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /sɜːˈkjuːɪtəs/
  • US: /sɚˈkjuːətəs/
  • US: /sɚˈkjuːɪtəs/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: S ER0 K Y UW1 IH0 T AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Not direct or to the point.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Being a long and winding route.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

deviating from a straight course

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a scenic but devious route
  • a long and circuitous journey by train and boat
  • a roundabout route avoided rush-hour traffic

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: devious, roundabout

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

marked by obliqueness or indirection in speech or conduct

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the explanation was circuitous and puzzling
  • a roundabout paragraph
  • hear in a roundabout way that her ex-husband was marrying her best friend

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: roundabout

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

First attested in 1664. From Latin circuitōsus, from circuitus, from circumeō (“to go around”), from circum (“around”) + eō (“to go”). By surface analysis, circuit + -ous.

Across languages

Translations

26 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: обиколен (obikolen) — not direct or to the point
  • Dutch: omslachtig — not direct or to the point
  • Finnish: epäsuora — not direct or to the point
  • German: weitschweifig — not direct or to the point
  • German: umständlich — not direct or to the point
  • German: indirekt — not direct or to the point
  • German: umschweifend — not direct or to the point
  • Italian: tortuoso — not direct or to the point
  • Māori: āwhiowhio — not direct or to the point
  • Polish: okrężny — not direct or to the point
  • Russian: окольно (okolʹno) — not direct or to the point
  • Swedish: omständlig — not direct or to the point
  • Bulgarian: околен (okolen) — being a long and winding route
  • Bulgarian: обиколен (obikolen) — being a long and winding route
  • Chinese Mandarin: 迂迴 /迂回 (yūhuí) — being a long and winding route
  • Finnish: kiertelevä — being a long and winding route
  • Finnish: kaarteleva — being a long and winding route
  • French: tortueux — being a long and winding route
  • German: weitläufig — being a long and winding route
  • German: verwunden — being a long and winding route
  • German: umständlich — being a long and winding route
  • German: sich windend — being a long and winding route
  • Russian: окольный (okolʹnyj) — being a long and winding route
  • Russian: петляющий (petljajuščij) — being a long and winding route
  • Spanish: tortuoso — being a long and winding route
  • Yoruba: kọ́lọkọ̀lọ — being a long and winding route