Standard Lemma guide

circumspect

adj · 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.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈsɜː.kəm.spɛkt/
  • General-American: /ˈsɝ.kəm.spɛkt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: S ER1 K AH0 M S P EH2 K T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Carefully aware of all circumstances; considerate of all that is pertinent.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Being aware of the danger of upsetting her audience, she was somewhat circumspect in her comments.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: cautious, chary, prudent, thoughtful, vigilant, wary

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

heedful of potential consequences

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • circumspect actions
  • physicians are now more circumspect about recommending its use
  • a discreet investor

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: discreet

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Latin circumspectō (“look around”). Compare periscope.

Across languages

Translations

54 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Belarusian: аба́члівы (abáčlivy) — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Bulgarian: внимателен (vnimatelen) — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Bulgarian: предпазлив (predpazliv) — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Catalan: circumspecte — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Chinese Mandarin: 细心的 — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Chinese Mandarin: 慎重的 — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Czech: obezřetný — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Danish: varsom — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Danish: forsigtig — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Dutch: omzichtig — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Dutch: behoedzaam — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Estonian: ettevaatlik — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Finnish: harkitsevainen — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Finnish: varovainen — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Finnish: huolellinen — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Finnish: tarkkaavainen — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • French: circonspect — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • German: vorsichtig — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • German: umsichtig — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Greek: επιφυλακτικός (epifylaktikós) — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Hungarian: körültekintő — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Hungarian: óvatos — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Hungarian: elővigyázatos — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Italian: cauto — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Italian: prudente — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Macedonian: претпазлив (pretpazliv) — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Māori: pukumahara — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Māori: whakatōngā — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Norwegian: omstendelig — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Old English: besċēawod — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Persian: دوراندیش (dur-andiš) — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Polish: ostrożny — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Portuguese: prudente — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Portuguese: cuidadoso — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Portuguese: cauteloso — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Portuguese: circunspecto — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Portuguese: circunspeto — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Russian: осмотрительный (osmotritelʹnyj) — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Russian: бди́тельный (bdítelʹnyj) — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Serbo-Croatian: ра́зборит — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Serbo-Croatian: промишљат — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Serbo-Croatian: о̏пре̄зан — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Serbo-Croatian: свје̏стан — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Serbo-Croatian: rázborit — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Serbo-Croatian: promišljat — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Serbo-Croatian: ȍprēzan — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Serbo-Croatian: svjȅstan — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Spanish: circunspecto — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Spanish: cauteloso — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Spanish: cauto — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Spanish: precavido — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Spanish: prudente — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Ukrainian: оба́чний (obáčnyj) — carefully aware of all circumstances
  • Ukrainian: оба́чливий (obáčlyvyj) — carefully aware of all circumstances