cameo
pronunciation
How to pronounce cameo in British English:
UK [ˈkæmiəʊ]
How to pronounce cameo in American English:
US [ˈkæmioʊ]
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- Noun:
- engraving or carving in low relief on a stone (as in a brooch or ring)
Word Origin
- cameo
- cameo: [15] The immediate source of modern English cameo was Italian cameo or cammeo. No one is too sure where it ultimately came from, but it has always been assumed that it had some sort of Oriental source – perhaps Arabic qamaā’īl ‘flower buds’. The original form of the word in English was cameu, which came from Old French camahieu; the Italianate cameo does not appear until the late 17th century.
- cameo (n.)
- early 15c., kaadmaheu, camew, chamehieux and many other spellings (from early 13c. in Anglo-Latin), "carved precious stone with two layers of colors," from Old French camaieu and directly from Medieval Latin cammaeus, which is of unknown origin, perhaps ultimately from Arabic qamaa'il "flower buds," or Persian chumahan "agate." Transferred sense of "small character or part that stands out from other minor parts" in a play, etc., is from 1928, from earlier meaning "short literary sketch or portrait" (1851), a transferred sense from cameo silhouettes.
Example
- 1. Each was rewarded for his efforts with a cameo .
- 2. Schwarzenegger confirmed he would be making a cameo appearance in the expendables .
- 3. He had been a guest on oprah and made a cameo in the secret .
- 4. Who is elon musk and why did he make a cameo appearance in the film ?
- 5. The incumbent governor seems to be greatly interested in making a cameo appearance in blockbuster productions .