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
R. T. Dunlop4
: 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
No word yet on who those cameos will come from, but Platt turned out a similar residency at the Palace Theatre on Broadway last year that featured the likes of Cynthia Erivo, Nicole Scherzinger, Jennifer Hudson, Kacey Musgraves, Sam Smith, Micaela Diamond, Shoshana Bean and others.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025
Simpson makes a cameo in the series, which stars Kim Kardashian, Glenn Close, Sarah Paulson, Teyana Taylor, Niecy Nash-Betts and Naomi Watts.
—Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
His 20-minute cameo against Newcastle United included crosses from the right, and then came a start on that side against Olympiacos.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Featuring Tisha Campbell, Martin Lawrence, Queen Latifah, and cameos from Tony!
—Okla Jones, Essence, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cameo
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Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025
Simpson makes a cameo in the series, which stars Kim Kardashian, Glenn Close, Sarah Paulson, Teyana Taylor, Niecy Nash-Betts and Naomi Watts.
—Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
His 20-minute cameo against Newcastle United included crosses from the right, and then came a start on that side against Olympiacos.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Featuring Tisha Campbell, Martin Lawrence, Queen Latifah, and cameos from Tony!
—Okla Jones, Essence, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cameo
Cite this Entry
“Cameo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cameo. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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