circumstantial
/səɹ.kəmˈstænʃəl/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.14 in modern English
20
Scrabble Score
14
Letters
4
Syllables
10
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Pertaining to or dependent on circumstances, especially as opposed to essentials; incidental, not essential.
adj
Involving evidence that relies on inference to connect it to a conclusion of fact, thus, suggesting guilt but not directly proving it.
adj
Abounding with minor circumstances; in great detail; particular.
adj
noun
Something incidental to the main subject, but of less importance.
noun
An adjunct or circumstant.
Example Sentences
- "We must therefore distinguish between the essentials in religious worship […] and what is merely circumstantial."
- "Evidence for cannibalism abounds - even if circumstantial - both from the modern world and throughout history, but academic anthropology has found itself in a funk of denial."
- "It is unlikely he will be convicted; the evidence against him is circumstantial at best."
- "Never, he said, in the course of his long experience, had he known a charge of murder rest on slighter evidence. Not only was it entirely circumstantial, but the greater part of it was practically unproved."
- "My Unkle's account is more circumstantial I must confess—but I believe mine is the true one for all that."
- "For although my information appears too direct and circumstantial to be fictitious, yet the magnitude of the enterprise, the desperation of the plan, and the stupendous consequences with which it seems pregnant, stagger my belief […]"
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker-der. Ancient Greek κίρκος (kírkos)bor. Latin circus Latin circum Latin circum- Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁ti Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁yeti Proto-Indo-European *sth₂éh₁yeti Proto-Italic *staējō Proto-Italic *staēō Latin stō Latin circumstō Latin circumstāns Latin circumstantia Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al English -al English circumstantial From Latin circumstantia + English -al, equivalent to circumstance + -ial.
Origin
- Source language: Latin
Word Breakdown
- Root: circumstantia
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /səɹ.kəmˈstænʃəl/
- British English: /səːkəmˈstanʃəl/