pantomime English · revision 379

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈpæn.təˌmʌɪm/ ''(UK)''; /ˈpæn.təˌmaɪm/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|pantomīmus|t=mime, dancer]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(Hoad 1986) partly through [[fr|pantomime]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(Hoad 1986) [[der|grc|παντόμιμος|tr=pantómīmos|t=imitator of all]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(Cresswell 2021) from ''panto-'' “all” (see [[pan-]]) and ''mîmos'' “imitator” (see [[mime]]).^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A Roman actor who performed in dumb show, representing characters by mimicry (1589, in the Latin plural ''pantomimi'').^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Pantomime was Rome's own contribution to the theatre: a single masked actor danced all the roles without speaking, while a chorus sang the words.^(Hendrickson 2008)^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) The sense “actor” is now archaic.^(Etymonline) By 1735 the word meant a dramatic entertainment in which performers expressed themselves by gesture to music,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) and from 1739 the English Christmas entertainment, said to have begun about 1717,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) which developed from Italian comedy with stock characters such as Clown, Pantaloon, Harlequin and Columbine.^(Cresswell 2021) The modern “panto”, based on fairy tales with songs, topical jokes and slapstick, the dame and the principal boy, developed in the 19th century.^(Cresswell 2021)^(Hoad 1986) The meaning “expressive gesture without speech” dates from 1791,^(OED 1989) and the verb from 1768.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1589 – ''pantomimi'', Roman mime actors.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1615 – ''pantomime'', a mimic actor.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * before 1735 – a play without words.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1739 – the English Christmas pantomime.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1768 – verb, to express by gesture.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1791 – dumb show, gesture without speech.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Communication by gesture and facial expression without words; [[dumb show]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A play, dance or other performance in which a story is told without words, by bodily movement and gesture.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An ancient Roman theatrical performance in which one actor played all the parts in gesture, accompanied by a chorus; also the actor himself.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A traditional British Christmas entertainment based on a fairy tale or nursery story, with songs, slapstick and stock characters.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To represent or express by pantomime.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To express oneself by gestures without speech.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[pantomimic]]

+ * [[pantomimically]]

+ * [[pantomimicry]]

+ * [[pantomimist]]

+ * [[panto]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[dame]]

+ * [[dumb show]]

+ * [[mime]]

+ * [[mimic]]

+ * [[harlequin]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}