Cirque vs. Circus: What's the Difference?

Cirque and Circus Definitions
Cirque
A steep bowl-shaped hollow occurring at the upper end of a mountain valley, especially one forming the head of a glacier or stream. Also called cwm.
Circus
A public entertainment consisting typically of a variety of performances by acrobats, clowns, and often trained animals.
Cirque
A ring; a circle.
Circus
A traveling company that performs such entertainments.
Cirque
(geology) A curved depression in a mountainside with steep walls, forming the end of a valley.
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Circus
A circular arena, surrounded by tiers of seats and often covered by a tent, in which such shows are performed.
Cirque
Something in the shape of a circle or ring, such as a Roman circus.
Circus
A roofless oval enclosure surrounded by tiers of seats that was used in antiquity for public spectacles.
Cirque
A circle; a circus; a circular erection or arrangement of objects.
A dismal cirqueOf Druid stones upon a forlorn moor.
Circus
Chiefly British An open circular place where several streets intersect.
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Cirque
A kind of circular valley in the side of a mountain, walled around by precipices of great height.
Circus
(Informal) Something suggestive of a circus, as in frenetic activity or noisy disorder
"I was amazed at the amount of hubbub in the lobby ... it was a circus. The check-in area brought to mind a mustering station on a foundering cruise ship" (Bill Bryson).
Cirque
A steep-walled semicircular basin in a mountain; may contain a lake
Circus
A traveling company of performers that may include acrobats, clowns, trained animals, and other novelty acts, that gives shows usually in a circular tent.
The circus will be in town next week.
Circus
A round open space in a town or city where multiple streets meet.
Oxford Circus in London is at the north end of Regent Street.
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Circus
(figurative) A spectacle; a noisy fuss; a chaotic and/or crowded place.
Circus
(historical) In the ancient Roman Empire, a building for chariot racing.
Circus
A code name for bomber attacks with fighter escorts in the day time. The attacks were against short-range targets with the intention of occupying enemy fighters and keeping their fighter units in the area concerned.
Circus
(obsolete) Circuit; space; enclosure.
Circus
To take part in a circus; or to be displayed as if in a circus
Circus
A level oblong space surrounded on three sides by seats of wood, earth, or stone, rising in tiers one above another, and divided lengthwise through the middle by a barrier around which the track or course was laid out. It was used for chariot races, games, and public shows.
Circus
A circular inclosure for the exhibition of feats of horsemanship, acrobatic displays, etc. Also, the company of performers, with their equipage.
Circus
Circuit; space; inclosure.
The narrow circus of my dungeon wall.
Circus
A travelling company of entertainers; including trained animals;
He ran away from home to join the circus
Circus
Performance given by a traveling company of acrobats clowns and trained animals;
The children always love to go to the circus
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
Circus
(antiquity) an open-air stadium for chariot races and gladiatorial games
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
Circus
A genus of haws comprising the harriers