cirque

Forms

cirque m (plural cirques)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin circus (“circle, ring; enclosure for games”),^{[2][3][4][1][5]} first recorded about 1355 in Pierre Bersuire's translation of Livy.^[3][4][6] In Latin the word lost the sense “circle” to its derivative circulus (whence cercle) and came to mean the round enclosure where games were held.^[3] Rey traces it to Ancient Greek κίρκος (kírkos), a secondary form of κρίκος (kríkos, “ring, hoop”), from an Indo-European root Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to bend”).^[3] Littré also gives the Greek word.^[7]

The sense “circus show” is a semantic loan from the English word circus, the round ring where riding displays were given.^[3][8] Etymonline compares Italian circo and Spanish circo.^[9]

Earliest recorded meaning

Bersuire's Livy explains it as a place in Rome open to all for public events: Cirque estoit un lieux à Rome dedié au commun pour fere chose publique, si comme estoient jeuz, solempnitez “the circus was a place in Rome given to the people for public doings, such as games and festivals”.^[7][2]

Semantic evolution

For centuries it was a term of Roman history.^[3] By likeness of shape it took, at the end of the 18th century, the geographical sense of a round hollow ringed by mountains, first of the cirque of Gavarnie, in Fontanes;^[2][3] the GLLF dates it from Vigny in 1822.^[6]

The modern show sense came from English: English riders first gave displays in France under Louis XVI, and circus shows took hold on the Continent under the First Empire.^[3] The TLFi's first record is from Jouy in January 1812;^[2] Littré mentions the Cirque olympique that the Franconi brothers opened at the end of the Revolution.^[7] The show grew richer in the 19th century and brought a whole vocabulary of its own.^[3] The familiar figurative sense “disorderly commotion” is recorded in 1946.^[2] English took cirque from French about 1600, in the sense “circus”.^[9]

Timeline

• c. 1355 – Bersuire uses it of the Roman circus.^[3][4]
• c. 1600 – English borrows cirque.^[9]
• late 18th century – Fontanes applies it to the cirque of Gavarnie.^[2][3]
• 1812 – Jouy uses it for a circus show.^[2]
• 1822 – Vigny uses it of a covered ring for equestrian shows.^[6]
• 1946 – The figurative sense “commotion” appears.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. (Roman antiquity) A large open-air arena surrounded by tiers, where the Romans held public games such as chariot races.^[8][2]
2. (geology) A cirque, a steep-walled hollow of glacial origin;^[8][1] le cirque de Gavarnie.^[8][1]
3. A circus: a show of acrobats, animal tamers and clowns given around a circular ring, and the place or company that gives it.^[8][2][1]
4. (familiar, figurative) A noisy commotion, a mess.^[2][1]

Word family

• circassien

Related words

• cercle
• Latin circus

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 708b
6. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com