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cirque

American  
[surk] / sɜrk /

noun

  1. circle; ring.

  2. a bowl-shaped, steep-walled mountain basin carved by glaciation, often containing a small, round lake.

cirque British  
/ sɜːk /

noun

  1. Also called: corrie.   cwm.  a semicircular or crescent-shaped basin with steep sides and a gently sloping floor formed in mountainous regions by the erosive action of a glacier

  2. archaeol an obsolete term for circle

  3. poetic a circle, circlet, or ring

"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
cirque Scientific  
/ sûrk /

  1. A steep, amphitheatre-shaped hollow occurring at the upper end of a mountain valley, especially one forming the head of a glacier or stream. Cirques are formed by the erosive activity of glaciers and often contain a small lake.

Etymology

Origin of cirque

1595–1605; < French < Latin circus; see circus

Explanation

A cirque is a bowl-shaped indentation carved into the side or top of a mountain by a glacier. In warmer conditions, cirques gradually fill with water to form small, deep lakes called tarns. A cirque can also be called a corrie. North America has several of these steep-sided natural basins, including the Iceberg Cirque in Glacier National Park and Cirque of the Towers in Wyoming. The rounded shape of a cirque is often described as resembling an amphitheater or an armchair, with one lower edge. Cirques are carved out of the top or side of a mountain by glacial ice, which slowly moves, carving away the bedrock. Cirque means "circle" in French.

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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.

Several kilometres away in the Cirque d'Hiver -- an indoor arena theatre -- Gregoire urged his fans to "resist".

From Barron's • Mar. 15, 2026

Later that day, I met a man named Mike, who has scratched out a living selling Cirque du Soleil tickets from a modest wooden stall underneath the colossal shadow of the Strip casinos.

From Slate • Nov. 18, 2025

As part of this workout, she throws in a challenge that involves executing choreography with members of Cirque de Soleil.

From Salon • Aug. 24, 2025

Performance highlights include Van Tass showcasing her mental magic while submerged in 2,000 liters of water, using a flamethrower and even being suspended in the air, à la Cirque du Soleil.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 29, 2025

The rooms hidden behind the multitude of tents in Le Cirque des Rêves are a stark contrast to the black and white of the circus.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

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.