acrobat

[ ak-ruh-bat ]

noun

1. a skilled performer of gymnastic feats, as walking on a tightrope or swinging on a trapeze.
2. a person who readily changes viewpoints or opinions.

acrobat

/ ˈækrəˌbæt /

noun

1. an entertainer who performs acts that require skill, agility, and coordination, such as tumbling, swinging from a trapeze, or walking a tightrope
2. a person noted for his frequent and rapid changes of position or allegiances

   a political acrobat

Derived Forms

• ˌacroˈbatically, adverb
• ˌacroˈbatic, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of acrobat¹

First recorded in 1815–25; from French acrobate, from Greek akróbatos “walking on tiptoe,” equivalent to akro- prefix meaning “height, extremity” + -batos, verbal adjective of baínein “to go”; the French word may be a recoinage, or an etymological reading of the Greek word; acro-

Word History and Origins

Origin of acrobat¹

C19: via French from Greek akrobatēs acrobat, one who walks on tiptoe, from acro- + bat-, from bainein to walk

Example Sentences

"This ball flew over me and I saw Karl-Heinz Rummenigge - he looked like an acrobat. He jumped and did this overhead kick. I just watched it flash past the post and Nigel and I were looking at each other thinking: 'This is different gravy.'"

From BBC

In an interview with local news station WXYZ-TV, Detroit acrobat Tink said she had been hired as a pole-dancer just three hours before the event.

From BBC

But the first visitor it recorded was dangling from its hind legs like a Squirrel du Soleil acrobat feasting on the bird seed.

From Los Angeles Times

“They used me as a model in their diving program,” says Louganis, who trained as an acrobat and dancer as a child before moving to diving.

From Salon

The Cardinals had power hitters in George Hendrick and Jack Clark, but they mostly relied on the speed and resourcefulness of switch-hitters Vince Coleman and Willie McGee, the acrobat fielding of shortstop and future Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith and the effective pitching of starters such as John Tudor and Danny Cox and relievers Todd Worrell, Ken Dayley and Jeff Lahti.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• clown
• dancer
• gymnast
• performer
• tumbler