First Known Use: 1589
Dictionary
1pantomime
noun pan·to·mime \ˈpan-tə-ˌmīm\
: a way of expressing information or telling a story without words by using body movements and facial expressions
: a performance in which a story is told without words by using body movements and facial expressions
: a play for children performed during the Christmas season that is based on a fairy tale and includes singing and dancing
Full Definition of PANTOMIME
1
2
a : an ancient Roman dramatic performance featuring a solo dancer and a narrative chorus b : any of various dramatic or dancing performances in which a story is told by expressive bodily or facial movements of the performers c : a British theatrical entertainment of the Christmas season based on a nursery tale and featuring topical songs, tableaux, and dances
3
a : conveyance of a story by bodily or facial movements especially in drama or dance b : the art or genre of conveying a story by bodily movements only
— pan·to·mim·ic \ˌpan-tə-ˈmi-mik\ adjective
See pantomime defined for English-language learners
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Origin of PANTOMIME
Latin pantomimus, from pant- + mimus mime
Related to PANTOMIME
- Synonyms
- gesticulation, mime, gesture, sign, signal
Other Performing Arts Terms
Rhymes with PANTOMIME
access time, aftertime, anytime, beforetime, Bettelheim, borrowed time, central time, Christmastime, common time, dinnertime, double prime, double-time, drop a dime, eastern time, elapsed time, Father Time, harvesttime, Hildesheim, in jig time, just-in-time, Kaffir lime, lemon thyme, local time, lysozyme, Mannerheim, maritime, monorhyme, mountain time, nursery rhyme, on a dime, overtime, Pappenheim, paradigm, question time, released time, running time, soda lime, standard time, summertime, take one's time, vowel rhyme, wintertime
2pantomime
verb
: to make the movements of someone who is doing something without actually doing it
pantomimedpantomim·ing
Full Definition of PANTOMIME
intransitive verb
: to engage in pantomime
transitive verb
: to represent by pantomime
See pantomime defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of PANTOMIME
1768
Other Performing Arts Terms
PANTOMIMIC Defined for Kids
1pantomime
noun pan·to·mime \ˈpan-tə-ˌmīm\
Definition of PANTOMIME for Kids
1
: the act of showing or explaining something through movements of the body and face instead of by talking
2
: a show in which a story is told by using expressions on the face and movements of the body instead of words
2pantomime
verb
pan·to·mimedpan·to·mim·ing
Definition of PANTOMIME for Kids
: to tell through movements rather than words
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