circle() CSS function

The circle() CSS function defines a circle using a radius and a position. It is one of the <basic-shape> data types.

Try it

clip-path: circle(50px);

clip-path: circle(6rem at right center);

clip-path: circle(10% at 2rem 90%);

clip-path: circle(closest-side at 5rem 6rem);

clip-path: circle(farthest-side);

<section class="default-example" id="default-example">
 <div class="transition-all" id="example-element"></div>
</section>

#default-example {
 background: #ffee99;
}
#example-element {
 background: linear-gradient(to bottom right, #ff5522, #0055ff);
 width: 100%;
 height: 100%;
}

Syntax

shape-outside: circle(50%);
clip-path: circle(6rem at 12rem 8rem);

Values

<shape-radius>

This may be a <length>, or a <percentage> or values closest-side and farthest-side.

closest-side

Uses the length from the center of the shape to the closest side of the reference box. For circles, this is the closest side in any dimension.

farthest-side

Uses the length from the center of the shape to the farthest side of the reference box. For circles, this is the farthest side in any dimension.

<position>

Moves the center of the circle. May be a <length>, or a <percentage>, or a values such as left. The <position> value defaults to center if omitted.

Formal syntax

<circle()> = 
 circle( <radial-size>? [ at <position> ] ? ) 

<radial-size> = 
 <radial-extent> | 
 <length [0,∞]> | 
 <length-percentage [0,∞]>{2} 

<position> = 
 <position-one> | 
 <position-two> | 
 <position-four> 

<radial-extent> = 
 closest-corner | 
 closest-side | 
 farthest-corner | 
 farthest-side 

<length-percentage> = 
 <length> | 
 <percentage> 

<position-one> = 
 left | 
 center | 
 right | 
 top | 
 bottom | 
 x-start | 
 x-end | 
 y-start | 
 y-end | 
 block-start | 
 block-end | 
 inline-start | 
 inline-end | 
 <length-percentage> 

<position-two> = 
 [ left | center | right | x-start | x-end ] && [ top | center | bottom | y-start | y-end ] | 
 [ left | center | right | x-start | x-end | <length-percentage> ] [ top | center | bottom | y-start | y-end | <length-percentage> ] | 
 [ block-start | center | block-end ] && [ inline-start | center | inline-end ] | 
 [ start | center | end ] {2} 

<position-four> = 
 [ [ left | right | x-start | x-end ] <length-percentage> ] && [ [ top | bottom | y-start | y-end ] <length-percentage> ] | 
 [ [ block-start | block-end ] <length-percentage> ] && [ [ inline-start | inline-end ] <length-percentage> ] | 
 [ [ start | end ] <length-percentage> ] {2} 

Examples

Basic circle

In the example below, the shape-outside property has a value of circle(50%), which defines a circle on a floated element for the text to flow round.

<div class="box">
 <img
 alt="A hot air balloon"
 src="https://mdn.github.io/shared-assets/images/examples/round-balloon.png" />
 <p>
 One November night in the year 1782, so the story runs, two brothers sat
 over their winter fire in the little French town of Annonay, watching the
 grey smoke-wreaths from the hearth curl up the wide chimney. Their names
 were Stephen and Joseph Montgolfier, they were papermakers by trade, and
 were noted as possessing thoughtful minds and a deep interest in all
 scientific knowledge and new discovery. Before that night—a memorable night,
 as it was to prove—hundreds of millions of people had watched the rising
 smoke-wreaths of their fires without drawing any special inspiration from
 the fact.
 </p>
</div>

body {
 font: 1.2em / 1.5 sans-serif;
}
img {
 float: left;
 shape-outside: circle(50%);
}

Specifications

Browser compatibility

See also

• Properties that use this data type: clip-path, shape-outside
• Guide to Basic Shapes