circacir‧ca /ˈsɜːkə $ ˈsɜːr-/ preposition formal 
Word Origin
manuscripts dating from circa 1100► see thesaurus at approximate
Word OriginWORD ORIGINcirca
ExamplesOrigin:
1800-1900 Latin circum; ➔ CIRCUM-EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- a Robert Adam mansion, built circa 1778
- The manuscripts date from circa 1100 B.C.
- The picture shows Tsar Nicholas, circa 1914.
THESAURUS► approximately
used before a date to show that something happened close to but not exactly on that date SYN around: more or less than a number or amount – used especially in technical or scientific contexts: · The company had total revenues of approximately $2 million.· The disease affects approximately 10% of the adult population.
► about more or less than a number or amount. ‘About’ is the usual word to use in everyday English: · It costs about $30 to get a visa.· There were about 50 people at the meeting.
► roughly about – used when you are trying to give someone a general idea of the size, amount, or number of something: · The two countries are roughly the same size.· Roughly how many miles do you travel a year?
► around about a number or time – used when you are guessing: · I’ll be there around 5 o’clock.· The BBC broadcasts around 2,000 radio dramas every year.
► somewhere/something in the region of formal about – used with very large numbers or amounts: · Last year he earned something in the region of $60 million.· It costs somewhere in the region of £100,000 to train a new doctor.
► or so informal about – used after a period of time, a number, or an amount: · The journey takes an hour or so.
► circa formal about – used with dates a long time ago in the past: · The house was built circa 1530.
► or more used after a number or amount, when the total may be a lot more: · A thirty-second commercial can cost £60,000 or more.
► upwards of more than a number or amount: · The aircraft can carry upwards of 400 passengers.
Longman Language Activatorat approximately a particular time or date► about also around especially American a little later or a little earlier than a particular time or date: · It's two-thirty. They should be arriving about now.· The cathedral was completed in about the middle of the 16th century.· About six months ago he suffered a major heart attack.· I picked Sue up around eight o' clock.· I don't remember the exact date of the party, but it must have been around the first of December.round about especially British: · He left the house round about four o'clock.· The job should be finished round about March next year.
► approximately a little later or a little earlier than a particular time or date. Approximately is a little more formal than about or around and is used especially in written English: · The gate will close approximately two minutes before the train leaves.· Tours start approximately every 15-20 minutes in summer.
► some time: some time after/before/around/between/in etc at a time in the past - use this when you do not know exactly when or it is not important exactly when: · The burglary must have happened some time after 8:00 p.m.· His third symphony was written some time between 1750 and 1753.· The clinic was closed some time in the early nineties.
► or thereabouts: at 10 o'clock or thereabouts/in the 1950s or thereabouts etc use this after a time, date etc that is not exact, especially when it is not important to know the exact time, date etc: · They're old apartments, built in the 1930s or thereabouts.· The book will be published in May or thereabouts.
► circa: circa 1920/1850/1492 etc use this when you are saying when something happened in history: · The manuscripts date from circa 400 B.C.· a Robert Adam mansion, built circa 1778· The picture shows Tsar Nicholas, circa 1914.
manuscripts dating from circa 1100► see thesaurus at approximate