| Noun | 1. | circus - a travelling company of entertainers; including trained animals; "he ran away from home to join the circus"troupe, company - organization of performers and associated personnel (especially theatrical); "the traveling company all stayed at the same hotel" | |
| 2. | circus - performance given by a traveling company of acrobats clowns and trained animals; "the children always love to go to the circus"show - a public exhibition of entertainment; "a remarkable show of skill" | |
| 3. | circus - a frenetic disorganized (and often comic) disturbance suggestive of a circus or carnival; "it was so funny it was a circus"; "the whole occasion had a carnival atmosphere"disturbance - the act of disturbing something or someone; setting something in motion | |
| 4. | circus - (antiquity) an open-air stadium for chariot races and gladiatorial gamesantiquity - the historic period preceding the Middle Ages in Europe | |
| 5. | circus - 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"big top, circus tent, round top, top - a canvas tent to house the audience at a circus performance; "he was afraid of a fire in the circus tent"; "they had the big top up in less than an hour" | |
| 6. | Circus - a genus of haws comprising the harriersharrier - hawks that hunt over meadows and marshes and prey on small terrestrial animals | |