acrobat
[ ak-ruh-bat ]
/ ˈæk rəˌbæt /
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noun
a skilled performer of gymnastic feats, as walking on a tightrope or swinging on a trapeze.
a person who readily changes viewpoints or opinions.
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Origin of acrobat
First recorded in 1815–25; from French acrobate, from Greek akróbatos “walking on tiptoe,” equivalent to akro- prefix meaning “height, extremity” + -batos, verbal adjective of baínein “to go”; the French word may be a recoinage, or an etymological reading of the Greek word; see acro-
Words nearby acrobat
acritical, acro-, acroagnosis, acroanesthesia, acroataxia, acrobat, acrobatic, acrobatics, acroblast, acrobrachycephaly, acrocarpous
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
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British Dictionary definitions for acrobat
acrobat
/ (ˈækrəˌbæt) /
noun
an entertainer who performs acts that require skill, agility, and coordination, such as tumbling, swinging from a trapeze, or walking a tightrope
a person noted for his frequent and rapid changes of position or allegiancesa political acrobat
Derived forms of acrobat
acrobatic, adjectiveacrobatically, adverbWord Origin for acrobat
C19: via French from Greek akrobatēs acrobat, one who walks on tiptoe, from acro- + bat-, from bainein to walk
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