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cir·ca

(sûrkə)

prep. Abbr. c. or ca

In approximately; about: born circa 1900.

[Latin circā, from circum, around (probably on the model of adverbs like intrā, within), from circus, circle; see CIRCLE.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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