aerialist
Americannoun
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a trapeze artist.
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Slang. a burglar who gains entrance to a building or apartment by leaping from rooftop to rooftop, sliding down ropes, or the like.
noun
Etymology
Origin of aerialist
Explanation
An aerialist is an acrobat who specializes in mid-air tricks, like trapeze performances. If you go to the circus, you'll get to watch aerialists flying through the air. Trapeze artists, aerial hoop acrobats, and other mid-air performers can all be called aerialists. They are distinguished from dancers, tumblers, and gymnasts by the fact that audiences have to look up to watch aerialists perform. Aerialist comes from the Latin word aerius, "airy, lofty, or high," from the Greek aerios, "of the air."
Vocabulary lists containing aerialist
Elements of the Universe: Aer, Aero ("Air")
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aer, aero
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Water for Elephants
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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.
Aerialist Erin Ball, a double below-knee amputee, has dedicated her career to physical accessibility in circus.
From Slate • Mar. 11, 2023
Aerialist Jessica Perry will perform to Debussy’s “Danse sacree et danse profane.”
From Seattle Times • Nov. 16, 2021
Acrobats have been trying to catch the quad since 1897, when, according to many accounts, European Aerialist Lena Jordan first did the triple somersault.
From Time Magazine Archive
The Show� Except for a few great flash acts like Beatty, Con Colleano on the high wire or Ringlings' late great Aerialist Lillian Leitzel, one circus, at least to adults, is pretty much like another.
From Time Magazine Archive
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
