circus |ˈsərkəs| noun ( pl. -cuses )
1 a traveling company of acrobats, trained animals, and clowns that gives performances, typically in a large tent, in a series of different places : [as adj. ] a circus elephant. • (in ancient Rome) a rounded or oblong arena lined with tiers of seats, used for equestrian and other sports and games. • informal a group of people involved in a particular sport who travel around to compete against one another in a series of different places : the Formula One circus. • informal a public scene of frenetic and noisily intrusive activity : a media circus.
2 [in place names ] Brit. a rounded open space in a city where several streets converge : Piccadilly Circus.
