cirque

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*(s)ker-“to bend; to turn”
2. Ancient Greek · derived fromκίρκος“circle, ring; racecourse, circus”
3. Latin · derived fromcircus“circle, ring”
4. French · borrowed fromcirque“circular arena; cirque”
5. English todaycirque

Borrowed from French cirque (“circular arena; cirque”), from Latin circus (“circle, ring”), from Ancient Greek κίρκος (kírkos, “circle, ring; racecourse, circus”), possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to bend; to turn”). Doublet of circus.

Words from the same roots