cabaret

noun

cab·​a·​ret ˌka-bə-ˈrā 

ˈka-bə-ˌrā

1

archaic : a shop selling wines and liquors

2

a

: a restaurant serving liquor and providing entertainment (as by singers or dancers) : nightclub

b

: the show provided at a cabaret

Synonyms

• bistro
• boîte
• café
• cafe
• club
• nightclub
• nightspot
• nitery
• niterie
• roadhouse
• supper club

Examples of cabaret in a Sentence

a singing superstar who got her start singing in the cabarets of New York City

Recent Examples on the Web

Set against the backdrop of the Civil War, Oh Mary! is a comedic take on Mary Todd Lincoln, in which the titular First Lady tries to recapture her glory days as a cabaret star, only to be thwarted by her gay husband, Abe Lincoln. —Mathew Rodriguez, Them, 6 Feb. 2025

Oh Mary! reimagines the life of Mary Todd Lincoln, depicting her as a wannabe cabaret star with a drinking problem. —Caitlin Huston, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Feb. 2025

Gilpin replaced Cole Escola, who originated the part of Mrs. Lincoln, the presidential spouse and aspiring cabaret performer, in the stage hit. —Brent Lang, Variety, 6 Feb. 2025

During her interview with Fox News Digital, de Lesseps shared that her cabaret tour shows will feature performances of all her original songs along with covers of hits by famous artists, including Tina Turner and Stevie Nicks. —Ashley Hume, Fox News, 1 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, from Middle French dialect (Picard or Walloon), from Middle Dutch, alteration of cambret, cameret, from Middle French dialect (Picard) camberete small room, ultimately from Late Latin camera — more at chamber

First Known Use

1655, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

cabaret

noun

cab·​a·​ret ˌkab-ə-ˈrā 

ˈkab-ə-ˌrā

: nightclub