Acrobatics
/ˌæk.rəˈbæt.ɪks/noun
The art or practice of performing gymnastic feats requiring balance, agility, and coordination.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Greek akrobátēs, originally meaning a person who walks on tiptoe or at the edge, not a circus performer, before it was reimagined in French and English as dazzling physical performance.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
akrobátēs (ἀκροβάτης)
“a person who walks on tiptoe or at the edge”
Late Greek
Greek
akrobatikós (ἀκροβατικός)
“pertaining to walking on tiptoe; agile or nimble”
Late Latin
Latin
acrobaticus
“borrowed adjective used in learned transmission”
17th–18th Century
French
acrobatique
“relating to acrobats or feats of agility”
18th Century
English
acrobatics
“the practice or art of acrobatic feats”
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