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Circus vs Cirrus - What's the difference?

circus | cirrus |

As nouns the difference between circus and cirrus

is that circus is a traveling company of performers that may include acrobats, clowns, trained animals, and other novelty acts, that gives shows usually in a circular tent while cirrus is a tendril.

circus

English

(circus)

Noun

(es)
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • (historical) In the ancient Roman Empire, a building for chariot racing.
  • (military, World War II) 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.
  • * RAF Web - Air of Authority
    • ... the squadron (No. 452) moved to Kenley in July 1941 and took part in the usual round of Circus , Rhubarb and Ramrod missions.
  • (obsolete) Circuit; space; enclosure.
    • The narrow circus of my dungeon wall. — Byron.

    Derived terms

    * media circus * three-ring circus

    Coordinate terms

    * (open space) (l)

    Related terms

    * circular * circle

    References

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    cirrus

    English

    (cirrus cloud)

    Noun

    (cirri)
  • (botany) A tendril.
  • (zoology) A thin tendril-like appendage.
  • (meteorology) A principal high-level cloud type characterised by white, delicate filaments or wisps, of white (or mostly white) patches, or of narrow bands, found at an altitude of above 7000 metres.
  • * 1996 , (David Foster Wallace), Infinite Jest , Abacus 2013, p. 15:
    • The blue sky is glossy and fat with heat, a few thin cirri sheared to blown strands like hair at the rims.