: a large arena enclosed by tiers of seats on three or all four sides and used especially for sports or spectacles (such as athletic contests, exhibitions of horsemanship, or in ancient times chariot racing)
b
: a public spectacle
2
a
: an arena often covered by a tent and used for variety shows usually including feats of physical skill, wild animal acts, and performances by clowns
b
: a circus performance
c
: the physical plant, livestock, and personnel of such a circus
d
: something suggestive of a circus (as in frenzied activity, sensationalism, theatricality, or razzle-dazzle)
He worked for a small circus. We're going to the circus.
Recent Examples on the WebThe report - citing the sheriff - confirms no circus is in town. Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 9 Sep. 2022 Martin had grown up in Portland, Maine, and was obsessed with the circus, even training with the influential mime teacher Jacques Lecoq. Zachary Pincus-roth, Washington Post, 19 May 2022 Of course, no circus would be complete without clowns. Jeff Banowetz, chicagotribune.com, 13 Apr. 2022 But yet another hyper-partisan Judiciary Committee circus over a potential Supreme Court justice is sure to further tarnish the reputation of a critical branch of government at an already fraught political moment. Stephen Collinson, CNN, 23 Mar. 2022 And so, shortly after running away with the circus, Stan runs away from it, taking Pete’s little black book — a cheat sheet for a mind-reading act with real potential for someone with vision — and Molly along with him. Peter Debruge, Variety, 2 Dec. 2021 In Fellini’s movies, life was a circus, and today, life is a swirling EDM tequila party. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 1 Sep. 2022 The 1975 are making a circus out of their newest single. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 1 Sep. 2022 After leaving a traveling circus, EO begins a trek across the Polish and Italian countryside, experiencing cruelty and kindness in equal measure. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Aug. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Latin, circle, circus — more at circle