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Created page with 'File:lighterstill.jpgright|frame ==Origin== ''Circus'' derives from Latin "''circus''", which is the romanization of the Greek "κ...'
[[File:lighterstill.jpg]][[File:Georges_Seurat_Circus.jpg|right|frame]]
==Origin==
''Circus'' derives from [[Latin]] "''circus''", which is the romanization of the [[Greek]] "κίρκος" (''kirkos''), itself a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metathesis_(linguistics) metathesis] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeric_Greek Homeric Greek] "κρίκος" (''krikos''), meaning "[[circle]]" or "ring".
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/14th_century 14th Century]
==Definitions==
*1a : a large arena enclosed by tiers of seats on [[three]] or all four sides and used especially for [[sports]] or [[spectacles]] (as [[athletic]] [[contests]], exhibitions of horsemanship, or in [[ancient]] times chariot racing)
:b : a [[public]] [[spectacle]]
*2a : an arena often covered by a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tent 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) <a [[media]] circus>
*3a obsolete : circle, ring
:b British : a usually [[circular]] area at an [[intersection]] of streets
==Description==
A '''circus''' is commonly a [[traveling]] company of [[performers]] that may include [[clowns]], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrobatics acrobats], [[trained]] animals, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trapeze trapeze acts], musicians, hoopers, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tightrope_walker tightrope walkers], [[jugglers]], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicycle unicyclists] and other stunt-oriented artists. The [[word]] also describes the [[performance]] that they give, which is usually a [[series]] of acts that are told how to play [[music]] and introduced by a "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringmaster_(circus) ringmaster]". A traditional circus performance is normally held in a ring 13m (42ft) in [[diameter]]. This [[dimension]] was adopted by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Astley Philip Astley] to enable a horse rider to stand upright on a cantering horse to perform a series of acrobatic manoeuvres and to more easily retain their [[balance]]. Most [[modern]] circuses have a system of tiered seating around the ring for the [[public]] and since the late 19th early 20th century the [[performance]] has taken place under canvas and more recently plastic tents commonly called "The Big Top" .[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circus]
==Origin==
''Circus'' derives from [[Latin]] "''circus''", which is the romanization of the [[Greek]] "κίρκος" (''kirkos''), itself a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metathesis_(linguistics) metathesis] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeric_Greek Homeric Greek] "κρίκος" (''krikos''), meaning "[[circle]]" or "ring".
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/14th_century 14th Century]
==Definitions==
*1a : a large arena enclosed by tiers of seats on [[three]] or all four sides and used especially for [[sports]] or [[spectacles]] (as [[athletic]] [[contests]], exhibitions of horsemanship, or in [[ancient]] times chariot racing)
:b : a [[public]] [[spectacle]]
*2a : an arena often covered by a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tent 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) <a [[media]] circus>
*3a obsolete : circle, ring
:b British : a usually [[circular]] area at an [[intersection]] of streets
==Description==
A '''circus''' is commonly a [[traveling]] company of [[performers]] that may include [[clowns]], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrobatics acrobats], [[trained]] animals, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trapeze trapeze acts], musicians, hoopers, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tightrope_walker tightrope walkers], [[jugglers]], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicycle unicyclists] and other stunt-oriented artists. The [[word]] also describes the [[performance]] that they give, which is usually a [[series]] of acts that are told how to play [[music]] and introduced by a "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringmaster_(circus) ringmaster]". A traditional circus performance is normally held in a ring 13m (42ft) in [[diameter]]. This [[dimension]] was adopted by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Astley Philip Astley] to enable a horse rider to stand upright on a cantering horse to perform a series of acrobatic manoeuvres and to more easily retain their [[balance]]. Most [[modern]] circuses have a system of tiered seating around the ring for the [[public]] and since the late 19th early 20th century the [[performance]] has taken place under canvas and more recently plastic tents commonly called "The Big Top" .[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circus]