cameo

noun

cam·​eo ˈka-mē-ˌō How to pronounce cameo (audio)
plural cameos
1
a
: a gem carved in relief (see relief entry 1 sense 6)
especially : a small piece of sculpture on a stone or shell cut in relief in one layer with another contrasting layer serving as background
b
: a small medallion (see medallion sense 2) with a profiled head in relief
2
: a carving or sculpture made in the manner of a cameo
3
: a usually brief literary or filmic piece that brings into delicate or sharp relief the character of a person, place, or event
his cameos and short commentaries on men and mannersR. T. Dunlop
4
: a small theatrical role usually performed by a well-known actor and often limited to a single scene
A major star appears in a cameo in the movie.
broadly : a brief appearance or role
cameo adjective
cameo verb, transitive + intransitive

Examples of cameo in a Sentence

He has a brief cameo in the film.
Recent Examples on the Web Along with returning to host numerous times, she’s made several cameos over the years, including just this past December for a holiday reunion with Kate McKinnon and Maya Rudolph. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2024 More recently, the 80-year-old actress has a scene-stealing cameo in Yorgos Lanthimos’ Oscar-winner Poor Things as Martha von Kurtzroc, the eccentric woman Emma Stone’s character befriends on the cruise ship. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2024 The magical musical numbers, previous Oscar-winner cameos, tear-inducing speeches and comical award presentations helped the three-and-a-half-hour-long show’s pacing move along quite nicely. Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024 There were Barbie cameos, dancers galore, Slash, and spirited sing-alongs. Radhika Seth, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2024 Reality star Dixie D'Amelio also made a cameo, and Bruno sweetly included a nod to his grandmother. Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 10 Mar. 2024 Although This American Ex-Wife contains sweet cameos by male friends who encourage Lenz to put her own happiness first, its most substantial male perspective is that of the chorus of angry men who comment on and reply to Lenz’s work online. Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 28 Feb. 2024 On top of its cast, Sandy Wexler has tons of famous cameos from stars like Jewel, Jimmy Kimmel, Judd Apatow and more. Keith Langston, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024 Paul also has a vision of his sister in the future, where she’s portrayed in a cameo by Anya Taylor-Joy. Jordan Moreau, Variety, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cameo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English camew, from Middle French camau, kamaheu

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of cameo was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near cameo

Cite this Entry

“Cameo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cameo. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cameo

noun
cam·​eo ˈkam-ē-ˌō How to pronounce cameo (audio)
plural cameos
1
: a carved gem in which the design is higher than its background
2
: a small role (as in a movie) performed by a well-known actor
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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