Meaning & use
circumambulate
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Meaning
verbtransitiveformal
To walk around something, especially as part of a ritual or ceremony.
Grammar: Takes an object: circumambulate the shrine. Often used in the passive: the temple is circumambulated.
Patterns
- circumambulate something
Every morning, the monks circumambulate the temple three times.
Pilgrims circumambulate the sacred stone in a clockwise direction.
The couple circumambulated the altar as part of the wedding ceremony.
Word forms
| third person singular | circumambulates |
|---|---|
| past tense | circumambulated |
| past participle | circumambulated |
| -ing form | circumambulating |
Common combinations
- circumambulate the temple
- Visitors are asked to circumambulate the temple in silence.
- circumambulate clockwise
- In this tradition, worshippers circumambulate clockwise.
- circumambulate the altar
- The priest circumambulated the altar before speaking.
- ritually circumambulate
- The bride and groom ritually circumambulate the fire.
Synonyms and how they differ
- walk around
- The everyday phrase; use it in normal conversation, while 'circumambulate' is formal and suggests ritual.
- encircle
- Focuses on forming a circle around something, not on the act of walking.
Word family
- circumambulation noun
- The act of walking around something, especially as a ritual.
- circumambulatory adjective
- Relating to walking around; rare.
Commonly confused: circumambulate or ambulate?
circumambulate vs ambulate
Means simply 'to walk' (often in medical contexts), without the idea of going around something.
Practice
The pilgrims ___ the sacred mountain as an act of devotion.
Choose one answer.
The subject 'pilgrims' is plural and the sentence describes a present habit, so the base form 'circumambulate' is correct. 'Circumambulates' would be used with a singular subject like 'the pilgrim'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “circumambulate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.