London's Circus

[iwbus]

What is the origin of the word 'circus' in various London places such as Picadilly Circus and Oxford Circus?

[Quizmonster]

The source is the Greek word 'kirkos' and Latin 'circus'. Both referred to circular arrangements...eg a building, a place of entertainment, a street configuration - as in Oxford Circus - etc. Since shows of various kinds such as gladiator-combats or whatever took place in such places in ancient times, we then got the idea of 'circus' meaning just that, as in 'Big Top'.