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Added 9 October 2026

pantomime

/ˈpæn.təˌmʌɪm/ noun

Latin root: pantomīmus Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about pantomime at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A Classical comic actor, especially one who works mainly through gesture and mime. .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
The drama in ancient Greece and Rome featuring such performers; or (later) any of various kinds of performance modelled on such work.
A traditional theatrical entertainment, originally based on the commedia dell'arte, but later aimed mostly at children and involving physical comedy, topical jokes, call and response, and fairy-tale plots.

verb

To make (a gesture) without speaking.
I pantomimed steering a car; he understood, and tossed the keys to me.
To entertain others by silent gestures or actions. (Can we add an example for this sense?)

Origin

First appears c. 1606, from Latin pantomīmus, from Ancient Greek παντόμιμος (pantómimos), from πᾶς (pâs, “each, all”) + μιμέομαι (miméomai, “to mimic”). The verbal form first appears c. 1768.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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