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

An episode at the Golden Globes featured the most celebrity cameos. —Fred Topel, Deadline, 6 Apr. 2025

Neeson made a cameo in Ted 2 and TV series like Derry Girls and Life's Too Short. —Christopher Rudolph, People.com, 6 Apr. 2025

Mariah Carey, 56, made a surprise cameo Thursday on her 13-year-old son Moroccan Cannon's live Twitch stream, leaving him hilariously mortified and desperate to get her out of the shot. —Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2025

This training indicates a serious interest rather than a one-off celebrity cameo. —Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English camew, from Middle French camau, kamaheu

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for cameo

• acknow
• aglow
• ago
• airglow
• aloe
• altho
• although
• ammo
• backflow
• backhoe
• banjo
• barbeau

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