Etymologically
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circus

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈkɪr.kʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈt͡ʃir.kus][1]

Forms

circus m (genitive circī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is probably borrowed from Ancient Greek κρίκος (kríkos, “ring”), also found as κίρκος (kírkos).[2][1][3][4] Ernout and Meillet's explanation as a partly reduplicated *ki-kr-o-, like curvus, de Vaan calls speculative.[2] The old accusative of the word survives as circum “around”.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Plautus onwards,[2][5] whose slave, told to fly, answers that this is how the ostrich runs through the Circus.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant a circle or zone in the sky, as in Cicero's Aratea, and circus lacteus was the Milky Way.[3][4] It was the oval arena for chariot races, as in Virgil's games, and at Rome above all the Circus Maximus, laid out, Livy says, by Tarquin.[3][6] It also stood for the spectators in the circus.[1]

Medieval Latin used it for a ring or a circle of people,[7] and music theory for a melody that turns back to its starting note.[8] It survives as Romanian cerc “circle” and Spanish and Portuguese cerco, while Italian circo and French cirque are borrowings.[1] English circus is first recorded in the late 14th century, of the Roman racecourses.[9]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus mentions the Circus.[3][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it for a circle in the sky.[3][5]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it for the arena of the games.[3][5]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy tells how the Circus Maximus was laid out.[6][5]
  • late 14th century – English circus is first recorded.[9]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A circle; a zone (in the sky).[3][10]
  2. A racecourse, arena (for games).[3][1]
  3. The Circus Maximus.[3][6]
  4. The spectators in the circus.[1]
  5. (Medieval Latin) A ring; a circle (of people).[7]

Word family

  • circellus
  • circēnsis
  • circes
  • circiter
  • circō
  • circulus
  • circum
  • idcircō
  • circā
  • circinus
  • English circus
  • English circle
  • English circuit

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  8. ^ Lexicon musicum Latinum medii aevi (1992–), Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften; online ed. Wörterbuchnetz
  9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  10. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press