cameo

noun

cam·​eo ˈka-mē-ˌō 

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 manners.

—R. 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

Damian Lewis makes a cameo as himself, or at least a version who’s dead set on writing a treatise on dog meat; Harriet Walter plays the long-suffering daughter of a romance author determined to get her mother’s smut some prestige. — Alison Herman, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026

Local viewers will easily spot recurring shots of The Strip on Fort Lauderdale beach, Las Olas Oceanside Park and Las Olas Boulevard, as well as cameos in West Palm Beach and Miami. — Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026

Kelly Osbourne just made a very unexpected runway cameo during London Fashion Week—although with her new ‘do, you’d be forgiven for not recognizing her. — Meg Walters, InStyle, 19 Sep. 2026

In All About Corinne, a who’s who of French cinema play themselves, and not in mere cameos. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English camew, from Middle French camau, kamaheu

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for cameo

• acknow
• aglow
• ago
• airglow
• aloe
• altho
• although
• ammo
• backflow
• backhoe
• banjo
• barbeau

Kids Definition

cameo

noun

cam·​eo ˈkam-ē-ˌō 

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