Word of the day: Funambulism

Funambulism

[fyoo-NAM-byə-lizm]

Part of speech: noun

Origin: English, 19th century

The art of walking on a tightrope or a slack-rope.

Examples of funambulism in a sentence

"While at school in Paris, my nephew got involved in funambulism and joined a circus."

"Slack lines have proved funambulism is a fun and engaging physical exercise."

About Funambulism

“Funambulism” is based on the English word “funambule,” a synonym for “tightrope walker.” This is based on the Latin word “fūnambulus,” meaning the same thing.

Did you Know?

The contemporary master of funambulism is Nik Wallenda. As a seventh-generation member of the family of high-wire performers known as the Flying Wallendas, Nik Wallenda first walked a tightrope when he was 13 years old in 1992. Since that time, he has amassed 11 Guinness World Records, most notably for being the first person to walk a tightrope across Niagara Falls, live on television in 2012. Wallenda has stretched the limits of funambulism by performing increasingly elaborate stunts on tightropes, such as creating the first-ever eight-person pyramid on a high wire.