crop circle

noun

: a geometric and especially a circular pattern of flattened stalks in a field of grain now usually attributed to natural phenomena or to the work of hoaxers trying to create the impression of a visit by extraterrestrial beings

Examples of crop circle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Crocodile farms in Thailand, shrimp shellers in India, crop circles in Kansas. Gaya Gupta, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2024 Wheeled trusses that once were part of irrigation pivots — those rotating mechanisms that create crop circles — are repurposed as light poles in the parking lot. John Meyer, The Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1988, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of crop circle was in 1988

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crop circle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crop%20circle. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

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