Barnum bar·num US/ˈbɑrnʌm/ uncommon noun 1. United States showman who popularized the circus (1810-1891) SynonymsP. T. BarnumPhineas Taylor Barnum Related words Broader terms showman WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved.