noun
roundabout
ROWN-duh-bowt
noun
1
A road junction where traffic circles around a central island instead of stopping at lights.
"Take the third exit at the roundabout."
"UK drivers navigate roundabouts far more often than Americans do."
2
A spinning platform in a playground that children ride on.
"The kids begged to be pushed faster on the roundabout."
adjective
1
Indirect or longer than necessary; not going straight to the point.
"He gave a roundabout answer instead of just saying no."
"We took a roundabout route to avoid the traffic jam."
How to Use Roundabout
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the traffic circle/playground ride, or (as an adjective) indirect and not straightforward.
UK vs US
In American English, the traffic version is usually called a "traffic circle" or "rotary"; "roundabout" for road junctions is mainly British.
Common pairings
roundabout way
take the roundabout
a roundabout answer
Word Forms
more roundabout comparative, roundabouted past tense, roundabouts plural, roundabouts singular, most roundabout superlative
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Take the third exit at the _____.
Etymology
From round + about, describing something that goes around rather than straight through.