circonstance

French

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker-der.

Ancient Greek κίρκος (kírkos)bor.

Latin circus

Latin circum

Latin circum-

Latin stō

Latin circumstō

Latin circumstāns

Latin circumstāntiaslbor.

Old French circonstance

French circonstance

Inherited from Old French circonstance, a semi-learned borrowing from Latin circumstāntia.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /siʁ.kɔ̃s.tɑ̃s/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Audio (France (Toulouse)):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑ̃s

Noun

circonstance f (plural circonstances)

1. circumstance, situation [from c. 1220]

   en d'autres circonstances

   under other circumstances

Derived terms

• circonstance aggravante
• circonstance atténuante
• circonstanciel
• circonstancier
• concours de circonstances
• de circonstance

Further reading

• “circonstance”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012