acrobat

American  

[ak-ruh-bat] / ˈæk rəˌbæt /

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.

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acrobat British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• acrobatic adjective
• acrobatically adverb

Etymology

Origin of acrobat

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-

Example Sentences

For mum Kelly, it's her job as a circus acrobat.

From BBC • Jan. 31, 2025

“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 • Aug. 10, 2024

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 • Jun. 26, 2024

Midway, an acrobat stood balanced on the shoulders of another who walked the entire length of the runway and back.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 13, 2024

The acrobat tent looms higher than the tents surrounding it and the sign that reads defiance of gravity swings over the entrance only a few paces away.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

Related Words

• clown
• dancer
• gymnast
• performer
• tumbler