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

Joining Anthony Ippolito, who stars as a young Sylvester Stallone, Palladino will portray Stallone’s boxing coach, Pete, with Demery as Joe Frazier, the legendary boxer who made a cameo in Rocky. —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2025

The app's cameo feature lets kids upload their face and voice to create videos, which can lead to misuse. —​wendy Wisner, Parents, 30 Oct. 2025

This nihilism cuts deep, as does a cameo from popular personality Quenlin Blackwell as herself. —Alison Herman, Variety, 30 Oct. 2025

And the celebrity cameos don’t stop there — Kylie Jenner and Khloé Kardashian, Joe Jonas and Khalid, Demi Lovato and Adéla have all posted their own mashup duets. —Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025

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