kinker

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

A performer in a circus.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

[…] the high trapeze "kinkers" go through their "flying" act; but in a montage treatment of filming the children's trip to the circus, it could be used with striking effect as a comment on their imitation of the thrilling action.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “kinker” mean?

A performer in a circus.

Is “kinker” formal or informal?

kinker is generally slang.