From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Cyclic \Cyc"lic\ (s?k"l?k or s?"kl?k), Cyclical \Cyc"lic*al\ (s?k"l?-kal), adjective [Cf. F. cycluque, Gr. kykliko's, fr. ky'klos See {Cycle}.]
1. Of or pertaining to a cycle or circle; moving in cycles; as, cyclical time. --Coleridge.
2. (Chemistry) Having atoms bonded to form a ring structure. Opposite of {acyclic}.
Note: Used most commonly in respect to organic compounds.
Note: [Narrower terms: {bicyclic}; {heterocyclic}; {homocyclic, isocyclic}]
Syn: closed-chain, closed-ring. [WordNet 1.5]
3. Recurring in cycles[2]; having a pattern that repeats at approximately equal intervals; periodic. Opposite of {noncyclic}.
Note: [Narrower terms: {alternate(prenominal), alternating(prenominal)}; {alternate(prenominal), every other(prenominal), every second(prenominal)}; {alternating(prenominal), oscillating(prenominal)}; {biyearly}; {circadian exhibiting 24-hour periodicity)}; {circular}; {daily, diurnal}; {fortnightly, biweekly}; {hourly}; {midweek, midweekly}; {seasonal}; {semestral, semestrial}; {semiannual, biannual, biyearly}; {semiweekly, biweekly}; {weekly}; {annual, yearly}; {biennial}; {bimonthly, bimestrial}; {half-hourly}; {half-yearly}; {monthly}; {tertian, alternate(prenominal)}; {triennial}] [WordNet 1.5]
4. Marked by repeated cycles[2]. [WordNet 1.5]
{Cyclic chorus}, the chorus which performed the songs and dances of the dithyrambic odes at Athens, dancing round the altar of Bacchus in a circle.
{Cyclic poets}, certain epic poets who followed Homer, and wrote merely on the Trojan war and its heroes; -- so called because keeping within the circle of a single subject. Also, any series or coterie of poets writing on one subject. --Milman.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Circular \Cir"cu*lar\, adjective [L. circularis, fr. circulus circle: cf. F. circulaire. See {Circle}.]
1. In the form of, or bounded by, a circle; round.
2. repeating itself; ending in itself; reverting to the point of beginning; hence, illogical; inconclusive; as, circular reasoning.
3. Adhering to a fixed circle of legends; cyclic; hence, mean; inferior. See {Cyclic poets}, under {Cyclic}.
Had Virgil been a circular poet, and closely adhered to history, how could the Romans have had Dido? --Dennis.
4. Addressed to a circle, or to a number of persons having a common interest; circulated, or intended for circulation; as, a circular letter.
A proclamation of Henry III., . . . doubtless circular throughout England. --Hallam.
A man so absolute and circular In all those wished-for rarities that may take A virgin captive. --Massinger.
{Circular are}, any portion of the circumference of a circle.
{Circular cubics} (Math.), curves of the third order which are imagined to pass through the two circular points at infinity.
{Circular functions}. (Math.) See under {Function}.
{Circular instruments}, mathematical instruments employed for measuring angles, in which the graduation extends round the whole circumference of a circle, or 360[deg].
{Circular lines}, straight lines pertaining to the circle, as sines, tangents, secants, etc.
{Circular note}{ or Circular letter}. (a) (Com.) See under {Credit}. (b) (Diplomacy) A letter addressed in identical terms to a number of persons.
{Circular numbers} (Arith.), those whose powers terminate in the same digits as the roots themselves; as 5 and 6, whose squares are 25 and 36. --Bailey. --Barlow.
{Circular points at infinity} (Geom.), two imaginary points at infinite distance through which every circle in the plane is, in the theory of curves, imagined to pass.
{Circular polarization}. (Min.) See under {Polarization}.
{Circular sailing} or {Globular sailing} (Naut.), the method of sailing by the arc of a great circle.
{Circular saw}. See under {Saw}.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Circular \Cir"cu*lar\, noun [Cf. (for sense 1) F. circulaire, lettre circulaire. See {Circular}, adjective]
1. A circular letter, or paper, usually printed, copies of which are addressed or given to various persons; as, a business circular.
2. A sleeveless cloak, cut in circular form.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
adjective
1: having a circular shape [syn: {round}] [ant: {square}]
2: shaped like a ring [syn: {annular}, {annulate}, {annulated}, {circinate}, {ringed}, {ring-shaped}, {doughnut-shaped}]
3: marked by or moving in a circle [syn: {rotary}]
noun
1: an advertisement (usually printed on a page or in a leaflet) intended for wide distribution; "he mailed the circular to all subscribers" [syn: {handbill}, {bill}, {broadside}, {broadsheet}, {flier}, {flyer}, {throwaway}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
92 Moby Thesaurus words for "circular": O-shaped, actuate, ambagious, anfractuous, announcement, annular, annulate, annulose, annunciation, backhanded, booklet, brochure, bulletin board, chapbook, circinate, circuitous, circulate, circumlocutory, comic book, communique, coronary, crownlike, cyclic, cycloid, declaration, deviating, deviative, devious, diffuse, digressive, discoid, discursive, disklike, disperse, disseminate, distribute, edict, encyclical, enunciation, exchange, excursive, fallacious, flow, folder, helical, illogical, inconsistent, indirect, interchange, irrational, leaflet, manifesto, meandering, notice, notification, oblique, orbital, out-of-the-way, pamphlet, periphrastic, position paper, proclamation, program, programma, pronouncement, pronunciamento, propagate, public notice, radiate, redundant, report, revolve, ring-shaped, ringlike, rotary, rotate, round, roundabout, rounded, set off, sophistic, sophistical, spiral, statement, strew, tortuous, tract, twisted, twisting, ukase, white book, white paper
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