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

Jason Momoa is set to make a cameo as Lobo, the alien mercenary and bounty hunter from the planet Czarnia. —Allison Degrushe Published, EW.com, 12 July 2025

Here's everything to know about how Gunn’s reimagining of the original superhero ends, from Superman’s climactic battle to the character cameo that sets up Warner Bros.’ future big-screen DC Universe installments. —Jack Smart, People.com, 11 July 2025

So here’s a select list of this season’s many movie references, from overt to winking to possibly imagined, plus some bonus recommendations based on episodic plots and the show’s many, many cameos. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 July 2025

Remember when the biggest Zoom meeting distraction was someone’s dog barking or a toddler making a cameo? —Jj Rosen, The Tennessean, 10 July 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