circumstantial
UK/sɜːkəm'stænʃ(ə)l/US/.sә:kәm'stænʃәl/
GREC2
释义
adj.
(of evidence) pointing to a conclusion indirectly, by inference rather than direct proof.
（证据）间接的，旁证的
adj.
Depending on or relating to particular circumstances.
依情况而定的
词根拆分
词根派生circumstance圆、圈、环绕
+
-ialsuffix
=circumstantial
circumstance + -ial = 与周边情况有关的。关键的法律义由此直接而来：circumstantial evidence（间接证据）并不直接证明有罪——而是从周边事实（「站在周围的东西」）推断出有罪。
常用搭配
- 1.circumstantial evidence间接证据
- 2.purely circumstantial纯属间接
例句
- 1.
The conviction rested entirely on circumstantial evidence.
这次定罪完全依赖间接证据。
- 2.
There was no direct proof, only a chain of circumstantial details.
没有直接证据，只有一连串间接的细节。