circulate
UK[ˈsɜː.kjə.leɪt]US[ˈsɝː.kjə.leɪt]
v
to move around or through something, or to make something do this
v
to pass from one person, place, or thing to another; to spread or be spread
Morpheme Breakdown
circul
ate
circul
circle
ate
verb suffix
Etymology
the word 'circulate' originates from the latin past participle 'circulatus', meaning 'to form a circle', which itself derives from 'circulus', a diminutive of 'circus' (ring, circle). the latin 'circus' can be traced back to the greek 'kirkos', likely referring to a ring or circle, and further to the proto-indo-european root (s)ker- meaning 'to turn, bend'. the core semantic logic is the transformation of the concrete concept of moving in a circular path into the abstract notions of movement through a system, distribution among a group, or the act of spreading information.
Analysis
Structure: circul (circle) + ate (verb suffix)
circul (from latin 'circulus', meaning a small ring or circle); ate (a verb-forming suffix from latin '-atus', indicating an action or process)
Examples
a fan helps to circulate air in the room.
rumors began to circulate about the company's financial troubles.
please circulate these documents to all members of the committee.