From Middle English circus , circo , from Latin circus ( “ ring, circle ” ) , from Ancient Greek κρίκος ( kríkos ) , κίρκος ( kírkos , “ ring ” ) , from Proto-Indo-European * (s)ker- ( “ to bend, turn ” ) . Doublet of cirque . Cognate with Old English hring (whence English ring ) and Old English hringsetl ( “ circus ” , literally “ ring-seat ” ) .
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Lewis’s Elementary Latin Dictionary
1890 American Book Company edition; pinned Perseus XML digitizationcircus
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Borrowed from Latin circus .
Likely borrowed from Ancient Greek κρίκος ( kríkos ) , κίρκος ( kírkos , “ ring ” ) , from Proto-Indo-European * (s)ker- ( “ to turn, bend ” ) . Perhaps related to Umbrian 𐌊𐌖𐌓𐌜𐌋𐌀𐌔𐌉𐌖 ( kurçlasiu )
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