Added 10 October 2026
circumspection
/ˌsɜːkəmˈspɛkʃən/ noun
Latin root: circumspectio Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about circumspection at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- Attention to all the facts and circumstances of a case; consideration of all that is pertinent.
- Caution, watchfulness, or vigilance fueled by such awareness.
Origin
Inherited from Middle English circumspeccioun, from Middle French circonspection or its etymon Latin circumspectio. By surface analysis, circum- + Latin spect + -ion, "looking [all] around" (as compared with the opposite concept, embodied as tunnel vision or blinders).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)