circus
SUR-kuhs
Circus (noun) means a travelling show featuring acrobats, clowns, and trained animals, traditionally performed in a large tent. Example: “A travelling circus has pitched its big top in the field behind the school.”
noun
1
A travelling show featuring acrobats, clowns, and trained animals, traditionally performed in a large tent.
"A travelling circus has pitched its big top in the field behind the school."
"Her dream was to run away and train as a trapeze artist in the circus."
"The children begged to go see the circus when it came to town."
2
A chaotic, noisy, or ridiculous situation.
"Getting four children out of the door each morning is a total circus."
"The meeting became a circus when everyone started shouting over each other."
"The press conference turned into a complete circus."
3
A round open space in a town where several streets converge, especially in Britain.
"Turn left at the circus and the cinema is on your right."
"Traffic was backed up around the circus because of roadworks."
"They met near Piccadilly Circus."
How to use circus
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe travelling entertainment show, or, loosely, any chaotic and noisy spectacle.
Common pairings
run away and join the circus
a media circus
circus tent
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Word forms
- Plural
- circuses, circusses, circi
- Third person singular
- circusses, circuses
- Past tense
- circused, circussed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
A travelling _____ has pitched its big top in the field behind the school.
Etymology
From Latin circus ("ring, circle"), ultimately from Greek kirkos — the same root gives us "cirque".
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “circus” mean?
The word “circus” means a travelling show featuring acrobats, clowns, and trained animals, traditionally performed in a large tent. In plain terms, the travelling entertainment show, or, loosely, any chaotic and noisy spectacle.
How do you pronounce “circus”?
“Circus” is pronounced SUR-kuhs (/ˈsɝkəs/ in IPA).
How do you use “circus” in a sentence?
Here is “circus” used in a sentence: “The children begged to go see the circus when it came to town.”
What part of speech is “circus”?
“Circus” is a noun.
Where does the word “circus” come from?
The word “circus” comes from Latin. From Latin circus ("ring, circle"), ultimately from Greek kirkos — the same root gives us "cirque".
Is “circus” a common word?
“Circus” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “circus” have?
“Circus” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a travelling show featuring acrobats, clowns, and trained animals, traditionally performed in a large tent.
Why is Piccadilly Circus called a circus?
In British English, a circus is a round open space in a town where several streets converge. London's Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus take their names from this sense, which reflects the Latin word circus, meaning a ring or circle, not from travelling shows.
What is the difference between a circus and a carnival?
A circus is a travelling show in which acrobats, clowns, and trained animals perform, traditionally inside a large tent. A carnival is a travelling funfair with rides, games, and sideshows, or a festive street celebration; the two overlap in atmosphere but offer different kinds of entertainment.
What is the big top at a circus?
The big top is the large main tent in which a travelling circus performs. By extension, people sometimes use "the big top" to refer to circus life or the circus world as a whole.
