orbicular

From the Late Latin orbiculāris, from Latin orbiculus, diminutive of orbis (“orb”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɔːˈbɪk.jə.lə/, /ɔːˈbɪk.jʊ.lə/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ɔɹˈbɪk.ju.lɚ/, /ɔɹˈbɪk.jə.lɚ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪkjʊlə(ɹ)

orbicular (comparative more orbicular, superlative most orbicular)

1. Circular or spherical in shape; round.
   • 1731 The Gentleman's Magazine, Weekly Essays in June 1731, Craftman, Sat. June 5, No. 257, "round+robin" p. 238:

     […] the Method used by Sailors when they mutiny, by signing their names in an orbicular manner, which they call a round Robin; […]

   • 1854, Thomas De Quincey, “On Murder, Considered as One of the Fine Arts. Postscript.”, in Miscellanies (De Quincey’s Works; IV), London: James Hogg & Sons, →OCLC, page 76:

     The whole covey of victims was thus netted; the household ruin was thus full and orbicular; and in that proportion the tendency of men and women, flutter as they might, would be helplessly and hopelessly to sink into the all-conquering hands of the mighty murderer.

2. (anatomy, not comparable) Of a muscle, surrounding an opening; compare orbicularis.

• orb
• orbicularly
• orbicularity

From orbicula +‎ -ar.

orbicular (not comparable)

1. (entomology) Pertaining to an orbicula.

• courbaril

Borrowed from French orbiculaire, from Latin orbicularis.

orbicular m or n (feminine singular orbiculară, masculine plural orbiculari, feminine and neuter plural orbiculare)

1. orbicular

• IPA^(key): /oɾbikuˈlaɾ/ [oɾ.β̞i.kuˈlaɾ]
• Rhymes: -aɾ
• Syllabification: or‧bi‧cu‧lar

orbicular m or f (masculine and feminine plural orbiculares)

1. orbicular

orbicular m (plural orbiculares)

1. orbicular muscle

• “orbicular”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 10 December 2024