circular definition

English

Noun

circular definition (plural circular definitions)

1. (semantics) A definition relying directly or indirectly on the term being defined.

   Saying that obscenity is indecent and then saying something is indecent if it's obscene is a circular definition.

Related terms

• reflexive statement
• recursive definition

Translations

definition

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 循環定義／循环定义 (xúnhuán dìngyì)

• Czech: definice kruhem f
• Finnish: kehämääritelmä
• Japanese: 循環定義 (junkanteigi)
• Portuguese: definição circular f
• Romanian: definiție circulară f
• Spanish: definición circular f
• Swedish: cirkeldefinition (sv) c