Ringling ring·ling US/ˈrɪŋlɪŋ/ uncommon obsolete noun 1. United States showman whose song-and-dance troop evolved into a circus (1863-1926) SynonymsCharles Ringling Related words Broader terms showman WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved.