The term circus originates from Latin and can mean several things:

• A public equipped space for shows and other spectacles of the Classical period (e.g., in ancient Rome, the Circus Maximus); the term derives from the circular shape of the first arenas in which, mostly, horse and biga (two-horse chariot) races were run.
• A travelling show that usually includes acrobats, animal trainers, clowns and other novelty acts. See Circus (performing art).
• In town planning, an open space, usually circular, where a number of roads meet, such as Oxford Circus, Cambridge Circus and Piccadilly Circus in London, or "The Circus" in Bath.
• Circus is a genus of harriers, a type of bird of prey.

It is also the name of several movies:

• Circus - a 2000 crime thriller starring John Hannah
• Circus - a 1936 Soviet classic melodramatic comedy
• The Circus - a 1928 silent film starring Charlie Chaplin
• The Invisible Circus is a 2001 drama film starring Cameron Diaz