Aerialists

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals who perform acrobatic feats high above the ground, often suspended from ropes or aerial apparatuses
2. Practitioners of gymnastic skills while hanging or swinging in the air, showcasing agility and grace
3. Artists who execute daring stunts in mid-air, typically as part of a circus or performance art, captivating audiences with their skill

Etymology: The word "aerialists" is the plural of "aerialist," and its story is mostly one of combining two familiar pieces. The base, "aerial," comes from Latin "aerius," which was borrowed from Greek "āḗr," meaning air, with the Latin adjective-forming suffix "-ālis" later added to produce the English adjective meaning of or belonging to the air. Its aerial sense was in place by the time English speakers needed a word for people who worked above the ground. The ending "-ist" has a longer pedigree than its use suggests. It descends from Greek "-istēs," which Latin borrowed as "-ista," and it passed into English through Old French and Middle English, where it came to mark a person who practises or follows something. Adding it to "aerial" yields a name for someone who performs in the air, so an aerialist is, literally, one who works in the air.

Synonyms: acrobats, performers