Circumnavigate

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ËŒsÉ™.kÉ™mˈnæv.ɪ.É¡eɪt/
• US IPA: /ËŒsɝ.kÉ™mˈnæv.ɪ.É¡eɪt/

Origin

From Latin circumnāvigātus, perfect passive participle of circumnāvigō ("sail round something, circumnavigate"), from circum ("about, around") + nāvigō ("sail, navigate"), from nāvis ("ship") + agō ("do"). Surface analysis: - + navigate.

Full definition of circumnavigate

Verb

1. (transitive) To travel completely around somewhere or something, especially by sail.We circumnavigated the Mediterranean.
2. (transitive) To circumvent or bypass.
• Rebel of the tournament: Saudi Arabia’s Malek Al Hawsawi, who circumnavigated Fifa’s ban on jewellery by keeping his ring in his mouth.
3. (intransitive, sailing) To sail around the world.
• Patrick Childress, who solo circumnavigated on a Catalina 27 in 1982, stresses the value of eggs, which will keep at least six weeks if previously unrefrigerated and oiled with vegetable shortening.
• Jack and Lura Francis, both fairly tall, circumnavigated on a Westsail 32.
• Chay Blyth was the first when he circumnavigated in British Steel in 292 days in 1970 in a voyage that some predicted would end in certain death.

Synonyms

• (travel completely around) compass, go around, sail around
• (circumvent) circumvent, go round

Related terms

• circumnavigation
• circumnavigator
• navigate