Standard Lemma guide

circumambulate

verb · 2 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.

  • General-American: /ˌsɝ.kəmˈæm.bju.leɪt/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /səː.kəmˈam.bjuː.leɪt/
  • UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To walk around something in a circle, especially for a ritual purpose.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: encircle

2

verb

Meaning 2

walk around something

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: walk around

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: circle

History

Etymology

Latin circumambulatus, past participle of circumambulare (“to walk around”). Equivalent to circum- + ambulate.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: طَافَ (ṭāfa) — to walk around
  • Finnish: kävellä ympäri — to walk around
  • Finnish: kiertää — to walk around
  • Hungarian: körbejár — to walk around
  • Māori: porowhawhe — to walk around