- Pantomime is a specific type of entertainment where people make elaborate gestures without words to express themselves.
An example of pantomime is an actor knocking into the air, pretending to be knocking on a door.
noun
- in ancient Rome
- an actor who played his part by gestures and action without words
- a drama played in action and gestures to the accompaniment of music or of words sung by a chorus
- any dramatic presentation played without words, using only action and gestures
- the art of acting in this way
- action or gestures without words as a means of expression
- in England, a type of entertainment presented at Christmastime, ending in a harlequinade
Origin: L pantomimus from Glassical Greek pantomimos from pantos (see panto-) plush mimos, a mimic, actor
adjective
of or like pantomime
Related Forms:
- pantomimic adjective
- pantomimist noun
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
noun
- Communication by means of gesture and facial expression: Some tourists make themselves understood abroad by pantomime.
- a. The telling of a story without words, by means of bodily movements, gestures, and facial expressions.b. A play, dance, or other theatrical performance characterized by such wordless storytelling.c. An ancient Roman theatrical performance in which one actor played all the parts by means of gesture and movement, accompanied by a narrative chorus.d. A player in such a performance.
- A traditional British Christmas entertainment for children, usually based on nursery tales and featuring stock characters in costume who sing, dance, and perform skits.
To represent or express by pantomime: pantomine a story on the stage; pantomimed “baby” by cradling an imaginary infant.
verb, intransitive To express oneself in pantomime.
Origin: Latin pantomīmus, a pantomimic actor, from Greek pantomīmos : panto-, all (from pās, pant-; see Pan- ) + mīmos, mime.
Related Forms:
- panˌto·mimˈic adjective
- panˌto·mimˈist noun