Circa facts for kids

Circa is a Latin word that means "around" or "about". We use it to show when something happened at an approximate time. It's like saying "about 10 o'clock" instead of "exactly 10 o'clock."

You'll often see circa shortened to c., ca., ca, or cca. It helps us understand that a date or number is not exact, but very close.

What Does Circa Mean?

Circa tells us that a date or amount is an estimate. It's used when the exact information isn't known. This is common for very old events or historical figures.

Why Do We Use Circa for Dates?

Sometimes, historical records are not complete. For example, people in ancient times didn't always record birth dates precisely. So, historians use circa to give the best possible estimate.

Circa in History Books

When you read about famous people in history, you might see circa next to their birth or death dates. This means historians have done their best to figure out the date, but they don't have an exact record.

• Example: Genghis Khan (c. 1162 – August 18, 1227)

* Here, the "c." before 1162 means that Genghis Khan was born around that year. We know he died on August 18, 1227, but his birth date is less certain.

Why Dates Are Sometimes Unsure

Before modern record-keeping, many events weren't written down with exact dates. Sometimes, records were lost or damaged over time. Using circa helps us understand that we're dealing with an estimated time.

Circa for Estimated Amounts

Circa can also be used for numbers or amounts that are not exact. This often happens in research or reports.

When Numbers Are Approximate

Imagine a scientist estimating the number of trees in a large forest. They might say "c. 5,000 trees." This means there are about 5,000 trees, but they haven't counted every single one. It's a good estimate based on their research.

• Example: "The project involved c.450 kg of materials."

* This means the project used approximately 450 kilograms of materials. The exact weight might vary slightly.

How to Spot Circa

You will usually see circa or its abbreviations (c., ca., cca) right before a date or number. Sometimes, the word circa itself might be italicized. This shows that it is a Latin word, not an English one.

See also

• In Spanish: Circa para niños