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roundabout (adv.)
mid-14c., roundeaboute, "by a circuitous route," also "on all sides, all about," from round (adv.), for which see round (adj.), + about. As an adjective, "in a ring or circle," by mid-14c. By late 15c. (Caxton) as a preposition. As an adjective from c. 1600. Noun sense of "traffic circle" is attested from 1927. It was used earlier of other things, such as "circular course or object" (1530s), "a plump, rounded figure" (1812), "a detour" (1755), "a merry-go-round" (1763). Related: Roundaboutness.
updated on October 05, 2021
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Dictionary entries near roundabout
rough-rider
roughshod
roulette
round
round robin
roundabout
rounded
roundel
roundelay
rounder
Roundhead