Meaning
In British English, a roundabout is a road junction where traffic moves around a central circular area before taking the required exit, broadly corresponding to a traffic circle in American English.
How it is used
Cambridge Dictionary labels the road-junction sense of roundabout as UK English and compares it with US traffic circle. Collins independently labels the circular road-junction sense British and also gives traffic circle as the American regional equivalent. Roundabout has several other meanings, including playground and fairground equipment and the adjective meaning indirect.
Examples
- “Take the second exit at the roundabout.”
- “There's a large roundabout just beyond the bridge.”
- “Turn left after the next roundabout.”
Pronunciation
/ˈraʊnd.ə.baʊt/ · ROUND-uh-bout
Tone and register
Neutral, standard, and common British road vocabulary. Roundabout is not slang in the road-junction sense.
Visitor guidance
Visitors can interpret roundabout as a circular road junction or traffic circle when following British directions. The word alone does not teach the current legal rules for lane selection, signalling, priority, speed, or particular junction designs. Drivers and pedestrians should follow current road signs, markings, the Highway Code, navigation instructions, and local conditions.
Cultural context
Roundabout is high-value travel vocabulary because it appears constantly in spoken directions, road signs, navigation prompts, driving instructions, addresses, and local reporting. Recognizing the British term prevents confusion for visitors who expect traffic circle or rotary, while context distinguishes the road sense from the word's other meanings.
Places represented
Open the reviewed place guide for each regional sense carried by this canonical entry.