What does circular definition mean?

Definitions for circular definition
cir·cu·lar def·i·ni·tion

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word circular definition.

Wiktionary

  1. circular definitionnoun

    A definition relying directly or indirectly on the term being defined.

Wikipedia

  1. Circular definition

    A circular definition is a description that uses the term(s) being defined as part of the description or assumes that the term(s) being described are already known. There are several kinds of circular definition, and several ways of characterising the term: pragmatic, lexicographic and linguistic. Circular definitions may be unhelpful if the audience must either already know the meaning of the key term, or if the term to be defined is used in the definition itself.

Wikidata

  1. Circular definition

    A circular definition is one that uses the term being defined as a part of the definition or assumes a prior understanding of the term being defined. Either the audience must already know the meaning of the key term, or the definition is deficient in including the term to be defined in the definition itself. Such definitions lead to a need for additional information that motivated someone to look at the definition in the first place and, thus, violate the principle of providing new or useful information. If someone wants to know what a cellular phone is, telling them that it is a "phone that is cellular" will not be especially illuminating. Much more helpful would be to explain the concept of a cell in the context of telecommunications, or at least to make some reference to portability. Similarly, defining dialectical materialism as "materialism that involves dialectic" is unhelpful. For another example, we can define "oak" as a tree which has catkins and grows from an acorn, and then define "acorn" as the nut produced by an oak tree. To someone who does not know which trees are oaks, nor which nuts are acorns, the definition is inadequate. Consequently, many systems of definitions are constructed according to the vicious circle principle in such a way that authors do not produce viciously circular definitions.

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of circular definition in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of circular definition in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1


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"circular definition." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/circular+definition>.

Discuss these circular definition definitions with the community:

1 Comment
  • Tommy Rene Jensen
    Tommy Rene Jensen
    Is the definition of the term "definition" circular? It is difficult to imagine that someone can understand it without prior knowledge of what a definition is.
    LikeReply4 years ago

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very close or connected in space or time
A ravening
B elusive
C contagious
D contiguous

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