panto

noun

pan·​to ˈpan-(ˌ)tō How to pronounce panto (audio)
plural pantos
British

Examples of panto in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Other teams did their own analyses, and things went back and forth with a panto-like tempo. Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 12 Oct. 2011 The book by David West Read then adds a dose of tipsy British panto, puts the frothy milkshake in a hipster blender, and mixes the whole deconstructionist shebang to music made famous by the likes of Ellie Goulding, Katy Perry and Ariana Grande. Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 17 Nov. 2022 The populist panto villain knows that in the short run a government or a central bank can do little about inflation (especially if it is only caused by extraneous issues). Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2021 Pantomime theater — panto for short — is one of Britain’s great festive traditions, up there with mince pies and the queen’s speech. Washington Post, 22 Dec. 2020 Many more are live-streaming Christmas or panto shows online, including venerable venues like the National Theatre and Old Vic. Washington Post, 19 Dec. 2020 William and Kate took George, Charlotte and Louis to the @LondonPalladium for a special pre-Christmas panto this afternoon. Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE.com, 11 Dec. 2020 Whether a children’s panto, Shakespearean comedy, or a modern drama by Tracy Letts, their consummate professionalism immediately establishes a captivating mise-en-scène that suspends any wayward disbelief. Jim Rutter, Philly.com, 29 Apr. 2018 All this, to be sure, is wrapped in a package that is largely forgettable and uninspired, all hewing to the formula of traditional British panto. Wei-Huan Chen, Houston Chronicle, 15 Dec. 2017

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

Word History

First Known Use

1852, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of panto was in 1852

Dictionary Entries Near panto

Cite this Entry

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

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!