circus
Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
circus/ˈsɜːkəs/
▶noun (pl. circuses)
- 1 a travelling company of acrobats, clowns, and other entertainers which gives performances typically in a large tent.
- 2 (in ancient Rome) a circular or oval sporting arena lined with tiers of seats.
- 3 informal a scene of lively activity.
- 4 Brit. a circular open space in a town where several streets converge: Piccadilly Circus.
– origin ME: from L., ‘ring or circus’.
'circus' also found in these Oxford entries:
big top
- carnival
- circle
- cirque
- clown
- harrier
- hen harrier
- hoop
- liberty horse
- marsh harrier
- Pythonesque
- ringmaster
- ringside
- search
- showman
- sideshow
- three-ring circus
- trapeze
