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circus
" Just cause you got the monkey off your back doesn't mean the circus has left town."
George Carlin

Meaning of "circus" in the English dictionary

DICTIONARY

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD CIRCUS

From Latin, from Greek kirkos ring.
Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.

PRONUNCIATION OF CIRCUS

ˈsɜːkəs


GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF CIRCUS

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Circus is a noun.
A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

WHAT DOES CIRCUS MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Circus

A circus is a company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other object manipulation and stunt-oriented artists. The term 'circus' also describes the performance which has followed various formats through its 250 year modern history. Philip Astley is credited with being the 'father' of the modern circus when he opened the first circus in 1768 in England. Early circuses were almost exclusively demonstrations of equestrian skills with a few other types of acts to link the horsemanship performances. Performances developed significantly through the next fifty years, with large scale theatrical battle reenactments becoming a significant feature. The 'traditional' format, whereby a ringmaster introduces a varied selection of acts that mostly perform choreographed acts to traditional music, developed in the latter part of 19th century and continued almost universally to be the main style of circus up until the 1970s.

Definition of circus in the English dictionary

The first definition of circus in the dictionary is a travelling company of entertainers such as acrobats, clowns, trapeze artistes, and trained animals. Other definition of circus is a public performance given by such a company. Circus is also an oval or circular arena, usually tented and surrounded by tiers of seats, in which such a performance is held.

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH CIRCUS

Aristarchus · carcase · carcass · caucus · cercus · cysticercus · Dorcas · ficus · fucus · glaucous · Hipparchus · Leucas · Leukas · Lucas · mucous · mucus · Ophiuchus · Orcus · raucous · submucous

WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE CIRCUS

circumstantial · circumstantial evidence · circumstantiality · circumstantially · circumstantiate · circumstantiation · circumstellar · circumvallate · circumvallation · circumvent · circumventer · circumvention · circumventive · circumventor · circumvolution · circumvolutory · circumvolve · Circus Maximus · circussy · circusy

WORDS THAT END LIKE CIRCUS

abacus · arcus · autofocus · Damascus · depth of focus · discus · flying circus · focus · hibiscus · hocus · hocus-pocus · locus · media circus · out-of-focus · rhoncus · Richthofen´s Flying Circus · Spartacus · staphylococcus · streptococcus · three-ring circus

Synonyms and antonyms of circus in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

Translation of «circus» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR

TRANSLATION OF CIRCUS

Find out the translation of circus to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

The translations of circus from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «circus» in English.
zh

Translator English - Chinese

马戏场
1,325 millions of speakers
es

Translator English - Spanish

circo
570 millions of speakers
en

English

circus
510 millions of speakers
hi

Translator English - Hindi

सर्कस
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

سِرْك
280 millions of speakers
ru

Translator English - Russian

цирк
278 millions of speakers
pt

Translator English - Portuguese

circo
270 millions of speakers
bn

Translator English - Bengali

সার্কাস
260 millions of speakers
fr

Translator English - French

cirque
220 millions of speakers
ms

Translator English - Malay

Sarkas
190 millions of speakers
de

Translator English - German

Zirkus
180 millions of speakers
ja

Translator English - Japanese

サーカス
130 millions of speakers
ko

Translator English - Korean

서커스
85 millions of speakers
jv

Translator English - Javanese

Sirkus
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

rạp xiếc
80 millions of speakers
ta

Translator English - Tamil

சர்க்கஸ்
75 millions of speakers
mr

Translator English - Marathi

सर्कस
75 millions of speakers
tr

Translator English - Turkish

sirk
70 millions of speakers
it

Translator English - Italian

circo
65 millions of speakers
pl

Translator English - Polish

cyrk
50 millions of speakers
uk

Translator English - Ukrainian

цирк
40 millions of speakers
ro

Translator English - Romanian

circ
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

τσίρκο
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

sirkus
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

cirkus
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

sirkus
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of circus

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «CIRCUS»

Principal search tendencies and common uses of circus
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «circus».

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about circus

EXAMPLES

10 QUOTES WITH «CIRCUS»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word circus.
1
Francesca Annis
I don't think the media circus has ever been a shock to my life seeing as I was with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor when I was 17.
2
Pat Benatar
But the soul of touring and the heart of it is basically every day is like putting up a circus tent.
3
Roberto Benigni
I remember in the circus learning that the clown was the prince, the high prince. I always thought that the high prince was the lion or the magician, but the clown is the most important.
4
Neil Burger
When I was younger, I wanted to own a circus and create this bizarre revue that went from town to town. I suppose, in a way, I got my wish because when you're working on a film, you're in a traveling circus.
5
George Carlin
Just cause you got the monkey off your back doesn't mean the circus has left town.
6
Ben Chaplin
Being an actor is well paid, but it's a bit like being a circus traveler.
7
Shane Claiborne
Liturgy and worship were never meant to be confined to the cathedrals and sanctuaries. Liturgy at its best can be performed like a circus or theater - making the Gospel visible as a witness to the world around us.
8
Tony Curtis
I will always remember this summer day in Paris, when I was to perform a great acrobatic move. I can still see myself stepping on the ring of a packed circus along real performers.
9
Claude Debussy
The attraction of the virtuoso for the public is very like that of the circus for the crowd. There is always the hope that something dangerous will happen.
10
Danny DeVito
So we see Edward as a young man on the road and he meets a giant and he brings the giant to a circus where he meets a Miss Calloway. He sees the woman of his dreams and I am the only one who knows who she is.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «CIRCUS»

Discover the use of circus in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to circus and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
The Night Circus
The circus arrives without warning.
Erin Morgenstern, 2011
2
Circus
Reissue of the classic tale of espionage set in Cold War Europe, where the world’s greatest circus acrobat must break into an impenetrable fortress, from the acclaimed master of action and suspense.
Alistair MacLean, 2009
3
Toby Tyler: Or Ten Weeks with a Circus
Follows the adventures of a young boy who runs away to join the circus and discovers, contrary to his expectations, that circus life is not always carefree and happy.
James Otis, 1997
4
Circus
Simple text and brilliantly colored cut-paper illustrations take children into a big top of circus excitement starring leaping lizards, marching snakes, whistling parrots, and the tumbling Zucchini Brothers.
Lois Ehlert, 1992
5
The Circus of Dr. Lao
This Bison Frontiers of Imagination edition features a new introduction by noted fantasy writer John Marco and striking illustrations by Boris Artzybasheff from the first edition.
Charles G. Finney, 2002
6
Circus
Traces the history of circuses from the time of ancient Egypt and Greece through their evolution in eighteenth-century Europe to the spectacles created by P.T. Barnum and other modern-day showmen.
Linda Granfield, 1997
7
Rings of Desire: Circus History and Representation
This book offers readers an introduction to the cultural history of the circus and gives an account of the dominant characteristics of the circus's aesthetic practices and relates these to the sometimes precarious developments, changes and ...
Helen Stoddart, 2000
8
Circus
Offering the chance to run away and join a project of great originality and distinctiveness, this collection of poetry is stocked with colorful personalities who earn their living under the big top—from clowns and acrobats to tightrope ...
Michael Harris, 2010
9
Circus
Magnificent colored photograph of clowns, high-wire artists, acrobats and wild animals.
Beatrice Schenk De Regniers, 1966
10
Beer and Circus: How Big-Time College Sports Has Crippled ...
A no-holds-barred examination of the troubled relationship between college sports and higher education from a leading authority on the subject Murray Sperber turns common perceptions about big-time college athletics inside out.
Murray Sperber, 2011

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «CIRCUS»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term circus is used in the context of the following news items.
1
Eldorado to take full ownership of Silver Legacy, Circus Circus
For Carano, gaining the Silver Legacy and Circus Circus puts Eldorado Resorts in full control of the three biggest hotel-casinos in downtown ... «Reno Gazette Journal, Jul 15»
2
Get off our land, City of Cape Town tells circus school
Ever wondered how people end up being in the circus? We chat to Trompie, a Cape Town performer, and find out more about his inspirational ... «News24, Jul 15»
3
Circus brings 'fantasy world' to Lafayette
There is a new but familiar show in town. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is presenting "Built to Amaze!" The performance is ... «The Daily Advertiser, Jul 15»
4
Children's Circus of Middletown 'Headin' West' this year
Counselors, from left, Evan Knoll, Shane Keegan and Nick Adler demonstrate juggling with clubs during a break at the Children's Circus of ... «Middletown Press, Jul 15»
5
When the circus comes to town, the kids are flying fit
In a community centre in the suburbs of Galway city, children of every age from toddlers to teens are training in circus skills including acrobatics, ... «Irish Times, Jul 15»
6
Roll up, roll up for Circus Allsorts
Contortion, clowning and death-defying acrobatic stunts - some of New Zealand's top circo-arts performers will feature in a circus spectacular in ... «The Press, Jul 15»
7
Sigur Ros Members Prep Circus-Inspired Instrumental Album
A trailer for The Show of Shows — which features some incredible footage of outrageous old-school circus acts — offers a taste of the group's ... «RollingStone.com, Jul 15»
8
EU Commission president heckled over Greek referendum 'circus
President of the EU Commission Jean-Claude Juncker has been heckled by eurosceptic MEPs at the parliament in Strasbourg, as he spoke on ... «RT, Jul 15»
9
Aspiring circus performers can hone skills at local gym
"KA" performer Vanya "Ivan" Mokrousov directs Caitlin Beanan on the lyra hoop at L'Oracle gym, 7020 W. Warm Springs Road, Suite 170. «Las Vegas Review-Journal, Jul 15»
10
Behind the Scenes Look at Cole Bros Circus Acts
The Cole Bros Circus is in town, and we headed under the big top. The show, 'To the Max,' has a mix of acts and attractions, from elephants ... «YourErie, Jul 15»
REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Circus [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/circus>. Apr 2024 ».
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