Which prefix means 'around'

• A. con- or com-
• B. a-
• C. bi-
• D. circum-

Answer: (D)

Circum- is the prefix that means around, signaling that something surrounds or encircles. You can see it in words like circumference, which is the distance around a circle, or circumnavigate, which means to sail or travel around something. This direct sense of encircling is what the question is asking for.

Other prefixes don’t carry that meaning. con- or com- means with or together, as in connect or combine. a- often means not or without (or, in some contexts, on). bi- means two. None of these convey the idea of surrounding or encircling the thing in question, so circum- is the best fit for “around.”