What is a circular definition?

A circular definition is a description of the meaning of a lexeme that is constructed using one or more synonymous lexemes that are all defined in terms of each other.

• fast—adj. 'swift; quick; speedy'
• swift—adj. 'rapid; fast'

Here is how the circularity can be resolved by the addition of an analytic definition and supplemental information:

• fast—adj. 'rapid in movement or action, often referring to the person or thing that moves; swift; quick; speedy'
• swift—adj. 'moving or capable of moving with great speed, often in a smooth and easy manner; rapid; fast'

Context for this page:

• Concept module: circular definition
• In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): C
• In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
• In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

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