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Origin and history of circus

circus(n.)

late 14c., in reference to the large, oblong, unroofed enclosures used for races, etc., in ancient Rome, from Latin circus "ring, circular line," which was applied by Romans to circular arenas for performances and contests and oval courses for racing (especially the Circus Maximus), from or cognate with Greek kirkos "a circle, a ring," perhaps from PIE *kikro-, reduplicated form of root *sker- (2) "to turn, bend." The adjective form is circensian.

In reference to modern large arenas for performances of feats of horsemanship, acrobatics, etc., from 1791, sense then extended to the performing company itself and the entertainment given, hence "traveling show" (originally traveling circus, 1838). Extended in World War I to squadrons of military aircraft. Meaning "lively uproar, chaotic hubbub" is from 1869.

Sense in Picadilly Circus and other place names is from early 18c. sense "buildings arranged in a ring," also "circular road."

also from late 14c.

Entries linking to circus

cherchez la femme

French, literally "seek the woman," the reflexive notion that a woman or passion for one is behind whatever crime has been committed, first used by Alexandre Dumas père in "Les Mohicans de Paris" (1864) in the form cherchons la femme. French chercher is from Latin circare, in Late Latin "to wander hither and thither," from circus "circle" (see circus).

circensian(adj.)

"of or pertaining to the (Roman) circus," 1590s, from Latin circensis "of the circus," from circus (see circus).

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circle
c. 1300, "figure of a circle, a plane figure whose periphery is everywhere equidistant from its center point," from Old French cercle "circle, ring (for the finger); hoop of a helmet or barrel" (12c.), from Latin circulus "circular figure; small ring, hoop; circular orbit" (also
recherche
"much sought-after, uncommon, rare," 1722, from French recherché "carefully sought out," past-participle adjective from rechercher "to seek out" (12c.), from re-, here perhaps suggesting repeated activity (see re-) + chercher "to search," from Latin circare, in Late Latin "to wan
research
1570s, "act of searching closely" for a specific person or thing, from French recerche (1530s, Modern French recherche), back-formation from Old French recercher "seek out, search closely" (see research (v.)). The meaning "diligent scientific inquiry and investigation directed to
flea
Flea-circus is from 1886....  "A man named 'Mueller' put on the first trained-flea circus in America at the old Stone and Austin museum in Boston...Another German named 'Auvershleg' had the first traveling flea circus in this country thirty years ago....
hippodrome
In modern use, "circus performance place" (mid-19c.), and thus extended to "large theater for stage shows."...
roustabout
With extended senses in U.S., including "circus hand" (1931); "manual laborer on an oil rig" (1948)....
equestrian
The feminine form equestrienne is attested from 1848 (Century Dictionary calls it "circus-bill French")....
top
"highest point," Old English top "summit, crest, tuft," from Proto-Germanic *toppa- (source also of Old Norse toppr "tuft of hair," Old Frisian top "tuft," Old Dutch topp, Dutch top, Old High German zopf "end, tip, tuft of hair," German Zopf "tuft of hair"); no certain connection
pot
"deep, circular vessel," from late Old English pott and Old French pot "pot, container, mortar" (also in erotic senses), both from a general Low Germanic (Old Frisian pott, Middle Dutch pot) and Romanic word from Vulgar Latin *pottus, which is of uncertain origin, said by Barnhar
show
Middle English sheuen, from Old English sceawian "to look at, see, gaze, behold, observe; inspect, examine; look for, choose," from Proto-Germanic *skauwojanan (source also of Old Saxon skauwon "to look at," Old Frisian skawia, Dutch schouwen, Old High German scouwon "to look at"

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