circle and set share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. circle means “ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point”. set means “put into a certain place or abstract location”. set is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈsɝkəl/
1.n.ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point
“he calculated the circumference of the circle”
2.n.an unofficial association of people or groups
“the smart set goes there”
3.n.something approximating the shape of a circle
“the chairs were arranged in a circle”
| circle | set | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈsɝkəl/ | /ˈsɛt/ |
| Said | SUR-kuhl | set |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Letters | 6 | 3 |
| Parts of speech | noun, verb | verb, noun, adjective |
| Senses | 11 | 45 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | none recorded | put, place, pose |
Full entry for circle · Full entry for set · More comparisons
/ˈsɛt/
1.v.put into a certain place or abstract location
“Put your things here”
2.v.fix conclusively or authoritatively
“set the rules”
3.v.decide upon or fix definitely
“fix the variables”