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

Eggers’ Nosferatu is scheduled for release on Christmas Day, and has received rave reviews from critics; no word yet on whether or not Eggers’ reimagining will make a cameo in Spongebob. —Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024

During the party scene, the wives of two Vanderbilt family members have cameos: Pickering's wife, Clary Pickering; and Ryan Cecil's wife, Rebecca Cecil. —Kelsie Gibson, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024

As seen in the trailer, Peyton Manning also makes a small cameo. —Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 11 Dec. 2024

He's since starred in five additional Marvel films, and has made cameos in four others for the company. —Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 10 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English camew, from Middle French camau, kamaheu

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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