circus meaning and definition

CIRCUS noun

Definition of circus (noun)

1. a travelling company of entertainers; including trained animals
   • "he ran away from home to join the circus"
2. a performance given by a traveling company of acrobats, clowns, and trained animals
   • "the children always love to go to the circus"
3. a frenetic disorganized (and often comic) disturbance suggestive of a large public entertainment
   • "it was so funny it was a circus"; "the whole occasion had a carnival atmosphere"
   • synonyms: carnival
4. (antiquity) an open-air stadium for chariot races and gladiatorial games
5. an arena consisting of an oval or circular area enclosed by tiers of seats and usually covered by a tent
   • "they used the elephants to help put up the circus"
6. a genus of haws comprising the harriers
   • synonyms: genus Circus