cirque

noun

1
archaic : circus
2
3
: a deep steep-walled basin on a mountain usually forming the blunt end of a valley

Illustration of cirque

Illustration of cirque
  • cirque 3

Examples of cirque in a Sentence

the harvest moon was a glowing cirque in autumn sky
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Their website describes the show as a 75-minute story about a family of moonshiners that combines cirque acts and adults-only comedy. Evan Mealins, The Tennessean, 26 June 2024 Of the three backcountry ponds, Upper Blue Lake is the most scenic, with a granite cirque forming the pool’s backdrop. Outside Online, 9 Aug. 2024 Big Sky is famous for its size, its extreme terrain, and its long, steep cirques high above the tree line. Nick Bowlin, Harper's Magazine, 30 Mar. 2024 In its early years, it was located smack in the middle of the grounds, a beaconing festival-goers with beats, cirque performances and the all-important misters. Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cirque 

Word History

Etymology

French, from Latin circus

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cirque was in 1601

Dictionary Entries Near cirque

Cite this Entry

“Cirque.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cirque. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

cirque

noun
: a deep basin on a mountain that is shaped like half a bowl
Etymology

French, from Latin circus "circle, arena"

More from Merriam-Webster on cirque

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!