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pantomime

pan·to·mime [ pántə mm ] (plural pan·to·mimes)


noun 
Definition:
 
1. mime artist: somebody who acts without speaking, using gesture and expression

2. humorous British theatrical entertainment: a style of British theater, or a play in this style, traditionally performed at Christmas, in which a folktale or children's story is told with jokes, songs, and dancing

3. Roman theatrical performance: in ancient Rome, a theatrical performance by one masked actor who played all the characters, using only dance, gesture, and expression, and no words, while a chorus narrated the story

4. Roman actor: an actor in a Roman pantomime

[Late 16th century. Via Latin pantomimus "mime artist" < Greek pantomōmos "complete imitator" < mōmos "imitator"]

pan·to·mim·ic [ pàntə mímmik ] adjective
pan·to·mim·ist [ pántə mmist, pántə mìmmist ] noun
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