Definition

Noun: A type of road intersection where traffic moves in a one-way circular flow around a central island. It is designed to improve traffic flow and safety by eliminating the need for traffic signals or stop signs at the junction.

Usage

A "traffic circle" is used as a countable noun. It refers to the physical infrastructure and the traffic pattern itself. - Drivers must yield to traffic already in the traffic circle. - The city installed a new traffic circle to reduce accidents at the busy intersection.

Examples

• Noun:
  • When you enter the traffic circle, signal your intended exit.
  • The old intersection was replaced with a more efficient traffic circle.
  • Navigating a large traffic circle can be confusing for new drivers.

Advanced Usage

• "Navigating a traffic circle": The act of correctly driving through one, which involves yielding, choosing a lane, and signaling.
  • The driving test includes a section on navigating a traffic circle.
• In formal engineering and planning contexts, distinctions are sometimes made between older "traffic circles" (which can be larger and may have traffic signals) and modern "roundabouts" (which are typically smaller and governed strictly by yield-at-entry rules). In general American English, the terms are often used interchangeably.

Variants and Related Words

• Roundabout (n): A more modern term for a traffic circle, emphasizing specific design principles for safety and flow. Common in British English and increasingly in American English.
• Rotary (n): A term used primarily in parts of the northeastern United States (e.g., New England) for a traffic circle.
• Circular intersection (n): The general technical term.

Synonyms

• Roundabout
• Rotary
• Circus (used in some countries, e.g., the UK's "Oxford Circus")

Related Phrases

• Central island: The raised or painted area in the middle of a traffic circle that traffic circulates around.
• Yield at entry: The fundamental rule for using a modern traffic circle or roundabout.

Noun

1. a road junction at which traffic streams circularly around a central island
   • the accident blocked all traffic at the rotary