entry
circumvent
/ˌsɝːkəmˈvɛnt/Get around; outwit by dodging
From Latin circum (around) + Latin venire (to come).
from Latin circumventus , past participle of circumvenire "to get around, be around, encircle, surround," in figurative...
+1 more sourcefrom Latin circumventus , past participle of circumvenire "to get around, be around, encircle, surround," in figurative...
from Latin circumventus , past participle of circumvenire "to get around, be around, encircle, surround," in figurative...
from Latin circumventus , past participle of circumvenire "to get around, be around, encircle, surround," in figurative...
Word Ancestry
from Latin circumventus , past participle of circumvenire "to get around, be around, encircle, surround," in figurative...
+1 more sourcefrom Latin circumventus , past participle of circumvenire "to get around, be around, encircle, surround," in figurative...
from Latin circumventus , past participle of circumvenire "to get around, be around, encircle, surround," in figurative...
from Latin circumventus , past participle of circumvenire "to get around, be around, encircle, surround," in figurative...
Roman writers loved the image of movement as a circle. Put circum- “around” next to venīre “to come,” and you get a verb that first meant literally getting around an enemy position, not just dodging a question in a meeting. English picked it up in the mid-1400s, the age of sheriffs, writs, and very practical trickery; by 1840 it was already doing the abstract work of “bypass.” It sits in the same family as circumspect, circumference, and venue, which is a nice little reminder that even a courtroom summons and a sports field are cousins under the old Latin verb for “come.” The next time somebody circumvents a rule, picture a tiny Roman army walking a neat circle around the problem instead of charging straight at it.
The Story
Roman writers loved the image of movement as a circle. Put circum- “around” next to venīre “to come,” and you get a verb that first meant literally getting around an enemy position, not just dodging a question in a meeting. English picked it up in the mid-1400s, the age of sheriffs, writs, and very practical trickery; by 1840 it was already doing the abstract work of “bypass.” It sits in the same family as circumspect, circumference, and venue, which is a nice little reminder that even a courtroom summons and a sports field are cousins under the old Latin verb for “come.” The next time somebody circumvents a rule, picture a tiny Roman army walking a neat circle around the problem instead of charging straight at it.
Modern Usage
To get around rules or an obstacle; also used in a sexual slang sense for the opening in front of boxer shorts
Notable References
- Urban Dictionary
Kin & Kindred
From 'circum'·around
Derived Terms
English words from this root
From 'venire'·to come
Derived Terms
English words from this root