'Circus' definitions:

Definition of 'circus'

(from WordNet)
noun
A travelling company of entertainers; including trained animals; "he ran away from home to join the circus"
noun
A performance given by a traveling company of acrobats, clowns, and trained animals; "the children always love to go to the circus"
noun
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" [syn: circus, carnival]
noun
(antiquity) an open-air stadium for chariot races and gladiatorial games
noun
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"
noun
A genus of haws comprising the harriers [syn: Circus, genus Circus]

Definition of 'Circus'

From: GCIDE
  • Circus \Cir"cus\, n.; pl. Circuses. [L. circus circle, ring, circus (in sense 1). See Circle, and cf. Cirque.] [1913 Webster]
  • 1. (Roman Antiq.) A level oblong space surrounded on three sides by seats of wood, earth, or stone, rising in tiers one above another, and divided lengthwise through the middle by a barrier around which the track or course was laid out. It was used for chariot races, games, and public shows. [1913 Webster]
  • Note: The Circus Maximus at Rome could contain more than 100,000 spectators. --Harpers' Latin Dict. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. A circular inclosure for the exhibition of feats of horsemanship, acrobatic displays, etc. Also, the company of performers, with their equipage. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. Circuit; space; inclosure. [R.] [1913 Webster]
  • The narrow circus of my dungeon wall. --Byron. [1913 Webster]

Synonyms of 'circus'

From: Moby Thesaurus