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Kabuki
(kä bo̵̅o̅′kē, kə-)
noun
a form of Japanese drama dating from the 17th cent.: it is based on popular themes, with male and female roles performed by men only, chiefly in formalized pantomime, dance, and song
Origin: Jpn, nominal form of kabuku, to be divergent, to deviate: in ref. to the early evaluation of this drama form
See Kabuki in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
A type of popular Japanese drama, evolved from the older No theater, in which elaborately costumed performers, nowadays men only, use stylized movements, dances, and songs in order to enact tragedies and comedies.
Origin:
Origin: Japanese, art of singing and dancing
Origin: : ka, singing (from Middle Chinese)
Origin: + bu, dancing (from Middle Chinese muə, wuə)
Origin: + ki, art, artist (from Middle Chinese giɁ, khi)
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