RingLike

Ringlike is an adjective meaning shaped like a ring: circular with a central opening, or patterned around a hollow center. It is used to describe outlines, profiles, or structures that resemble a ring, even if not perfectly circular.

In geometry, the classic ring-shaped region between two concentric circles is called an annulus; objects that resemble this shape are described as ringlike. Three-dimensional variants include toroidal forms, which have a circular cross-section and a hollow core.

Applications appear across disciplines. In astronomy, ringlike features occur in ring galaxies and in planetary nebulae such as the Ring Nebula (Messier 57). In engineering and physics, ringlike geometries appear in toroidal inductors, seals, and ring resonators. In biology, ringlike patterns can be observed in certain cross-sections and cellular arrangements around a central lumen.

Ringlike is closely related to annular; annular more strictly means ring-shaped, whereas ringlike may describe approximate or informal resemblance. Related terms include annulus and torus.