indirect and lengthy; roundabout: a circuitous route
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
cir•cu•i•tous /sɚˈkyuɪtəs/USA pronunciation
adj.
cir•cu•i•tous•ness, n. [uncountable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- going around instead of in a straight line;
roundabout;
not direct:The agent took a circuitous route back to her hotel.
cir•cu•i•tous•ness, n. [uncountable]
cir•cu•i•tous
(sər kyo̅o̅′i təs),USA pronunciation adj.
cir•cu′i•tous•ly, adv.
cir•cu′i•tous•ness, n.
- roundabout;
not direct:a circuitous route; a circuitous argument.
- Medieval Latin circuitōsus, equivalent. to circuit(us) circuit + -ōsus -ous
- 1655–65
cir•cu′i•tous•ness, n.
- circular, winding, indirect, meandering.
- straight, direct.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'circuitous' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
ambagious
- anfractuous
- around
- circuity
- circular
- circumferential
- circumstance
- detour
- devious
- end up
- indirect
- meander
- round
- roundabout
- tortuous