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aerialist

American  
[air-ee-uh-list, ey-eer-ee-uh-] / ˈɛər i ə lɪst, eɪˈɪər i ə- /

noun

  1. a trapeze artist.

  2. Slang. a burglar who gains entrance to a building or apartment by leaping from rooftop to rooftop, sliding down ropes, or the like.


aerialist British  
/ ˈɛərɪəlɪst /

noun

  1. a trapeze artist or tightrope walker

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of aerialist

First recorded in 1900–05; aerial + -ist

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

With Dracula poised to assassinate her longtime rival, Tan rightfully brought this sensibility, and her aerialist abilities, to the role.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 2, 2023

She started out as the ultimate three-dimensional artist: She trained as a circus aerialist and spent 25 years doing that in her native England.

From Washington Post • Mar. 21, 2023

To play Louise, the company engaged Pearl, who was not a climber but had been training as an aerialist after, as she explained, “I fell in love with a circus performer.”

From Seattle Times • Jul. 28, 2022

There’s an aerialist, a ballerina, and a string quartet that plays, among other things, Pachelbel’s “Canon” and Europe’s “The Final Countdown.”

From The Verge • Apr. 28, 2022

I knew the routine by heart—at this very moment, the tail end of the Grand Spectacle was exiting and Lottie, the aerialist, was ascending her rigging in the center ring.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen