Circus Maximus

American

[mak-suh-muhs] / ˈmæk sə məs /

noun

the great ancient Roman circus between the Palatine and Aventine hills.

Circus Maximus British

/ ˈmæksɪməs /

noun

an amphitheatre in Rome, used in ancient times for chariot races, public games, etc

"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

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.

In the Roman Empire, the games at the Circus Maximus were an amusement and a distraction, a token to the proles as a substitute for being able to exercise any political power.

From Salon • Aug. 24, 2025

"Travis Scott's Utopia - Circus Maximus Tour is set to continue this summer with a headline performance here at Co-op Live on 13 July 2024," the Manchester venue posted on social media.

From BBC • May 7, 2024

The Colosseum, the Circus Maximus and the Roman Forum and Imperial Fora are just a few of the sites clustered in the city’s heart.

From New York Times • Apr. 2, 2024

News of the tour comes a day after Scott performed at the historic Circus Maximus in Rome, alongside surprise guest Kanye West.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 8, 2023

She was worshipped almost exclusively by plebeians, and her temple near the Circus Maximus was under the care of the plebeian aediles, one of whose duties was the superintendence 761 of the corn-market.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 7 "Cerargyrite" to "Charing Cross" by Various

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023