funambulist

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/fjuːˈnæmbjʊlɪst/

noun

A tightrope walker or a similar performer on a slack rope.

Similar
tightrope walker
OriginFrench funambule ← Latin funambulus →
Scrabble 18
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Meanings

nounfunambulist (plural funambulists)

plural funambulists

  1. A tightrope walker or a similar performer on a slack rope.

    A female funambulist, Maria Spelterini, on various occasions tightrope-walked across the Niagara Gorge with peach baskets on her feet, blindfolded, or manacled.

    2012 June 14, David Hakim, “After Century-Long Wait, Stage Is Set for Man Daring to Cross the Falls”, in New York Times, retrieved 01 Aug 2013

Synonyms & antonyms

nounan acrobat who performs on a tightrope or slack rope

Similar
tightrope walker
Broader
acrobat
Also see
tightrope walker

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinfunambulus
  2. Frenchfunambule
  3. Englishfunambulist

From French funambule or its source, Latin funambulus, from funis (“rope”) + ambulare (“walk”).

More words from French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

funambulist. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/funambulist

MLA

“funambulist.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/funambulist. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “funambulist,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/funambulist.

Source: funambulist on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.