Circuitous — Cir*cu i*tous, a. [LL. circuitosus.] Going round in a circuit; roundabout; indirect; as, a circuitous road; a circuitous manner of accomplishing an end. {Cir*cu i*tous*ly}, adv. {Cir*cu i*tous*ness}, n. Syn: Tortuous; winding; sinuous; serpentine … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
circuitous — (adj.) 1660s, from M.L. circuitous full of roundabout ways, from L. circuitus a going round (see CIRCUIT (Cf. circuit)). Related: Circuitously … Etymology dictionary
circuitous — roundabout, *indirect Analogous words: *winding, serpentine, sinuous, tortuous, flexuous Antonyms: straight … New Dictionary of Synonyms
circuitous — [adj] going around, indirect back road*, by way of, circular, collateral, complicated, devious, labyrinthine, long way*, long way around*, meandering, oblique, rambling, roundabout, tortuous, winding around; concepts 544,581 Ant. direct, in line … New thesaurus
circuitous — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ (of a route) longer than the most direct way. DERIVATIVES circuitously adverb circuitousness noun … English terms dictionary
circuitous — [sər kyo͞o′ət əs] adj. [ML circuitosus < L circuitus: see CIRCUIT] roundabout; indirect; devious circuitously adv. circuitousness n … English World dictionary
circuitous — [[t]sə(r)kju͟ːɪtəs[/t]] ADJ GRADED: usu ADJ n A circuitous route is long and complicated rather than simple and direct. [FORMAL] They were taken on a circuitous route, from mainland China through Hong Kong to Europe and then to Panama... Stuart… … English dictionary
circuitous — adjective Etymology: perhaps from Medieval Latin circuitosus, from Latin circuitus Date: 1664 1. having a circular or winding course < a circuitous route > 2. not being forthright or direct in language or action < a … New Collegiate Dictionary
circuitous — circuitously, adv. circuitousness, n. /seuhr kyooh i teuhs/, adj. roundabout; not direct: a circuitous route; a circuitous argument. [1655 65; < ML circuitosus, equiv. to circuit(us) CIRCUIT + osus OUS] Syn. circular, winding, indirect,… … Universalium
circuitous — cir|cu|i|tous [ sər kjuıtəs ] adjective 1. ) a circuitous journey, path, etc. is longer than it needs to be because it is not direct: He took a circuitous route to the library, to avoid passing her house. 2. ) taking a long time to say what you… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
