Word origin
[1480–90; ‹ L
circumjacent- (s. of
circumjacēns, prp. of
circumjacēre to lie around), equiv. to
circum- circum- +
jac- lie +
-ent- -ent]This word is first recorded in the period 1480–90. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: absorb, contrast, formative, mobile, terminalcircum- is a prefix with the meaning “round about, around,” found in Latin loanwords, esp.derivatives of verbs that had the general senses “to encompass or surround” (circumference; circumjacent; circumstance) or “to go around” by the means or in the manner specified by the verb (circumnavigate; circumscribe); -ent is a suffix, equivalent to -ant, appearing in nouns and adjectives of Latin origin. Other words that use the affix-ent include: accident, different