Skip to main content

pantomimeA theatrical entertainment in which performers express meaning through gestures without words

Part of speech: NOUN

Definition: A theatrical entertainment in which performers express meaning through gestures without words

Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈpæntəmaɪm/

Example Sentences

  • The mime got stuck in an invisible box during his pantomime performance, and the audience couldn't tell if it was part of the act!
  • She had to pantomime 'elephant' in charades, so she swung her arm like a trunk.
  • The teacher used pantomime to explain new vocabulary when the students didn't understand English.

pantomime

NOUN

[/ˈpæntəmaɪm/]

A theatrical entertainment in which performers express meaning through gestures without words

Silent performance using only gestures
💡 Concept

Silent performance using only gestures

Pantomime breaks the paradigm, even working overtime!
🎵 Rhyme

Pantomime breaks the paradigm, even working overtime!

Got the picture? Now let's practice.

🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/ˈpæntəmaɪm/
🇬🇧 UK/ˈpæntəmaɪm/

🌳Etymology

Rootpantomim
Suffix--e

Origin

The word derives from Greek 'pantomimos', a compound of 'panto' (all, everything) and 'mimos' (mime, imitator). Originally referring to an actor who performed all types of roles through gesture and imitation, the term evolved in Roman and later European theatre to denote a performer who communicates entirely through body movement and facial expression without speech.

Breakdown

panto- (all, everything) + -mimos (mime, imitator, actor). The Greek roots combine to literally mean 'one who imitates everything'.

🎵Rhyme

paradigmmaritimeovertime
paradigm
maritime
overtime

🔗Collocations

street pantomime
perform pantomime
pantomime artist
silent pantomime
pantomime show

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

The mime got stuck in an invisible box during his pantomime performance, and the audience couldn't tell if it was part of the act!

She had to pantomime 'elephant' in charades, so she swung her arm like a trunk.

The teacher used pantomime to explain new vocabulary when the students didn't understand English.

😄 Fun example

His pantomime of a person walking against strong wind was so realistic that people started looking for the storm!

📚Related Words

Synonyms

mimesilent actinggesturecharades

Antonyms

speechdialoguenarration

Related

theaterperformanceactingexpressiongesture

Want to master 19,000+ words?

Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.