Circule

/ˈsɜːrkjuːl/ noun

Definition

A small circle or circular object; an archaic or obsolete term rarely used in modern English.

Etymology

From Latin 'circulus' (circle) + the diminutive suffix '-le'. This Middle English formation attempted to create a diminutive form of circle, but it never gained widespread adoption.

Kelly Says

Medieval scribes experimented with words like 'circule' to describe tiny circular decorations in manuscripts, but the word lost the competition to simpler alternatives like 'small circle' or just 'circle.' Language keeps what works and abandons what doesn't.

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