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

Carpenter also recently released her Netflix holiday special, A Nonsense Christmas, which was packed with music and cameos from many celebrities ranging from Shania Twain to Chappell Roan. —Marina Watts, People.com, 31 Dec. 2024

Since the Bulls made a postseason cameo in 2022, there hasn’t been a playoff team among these five organizations. —Jon Greenberg, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024

Given the pic’s timeline, the late Lance Reddick (whose character Charon dies in the fourth installment), also makes a cameo. —Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 28 Dec. 2024

More:Trump taps Brendan Carr, who opposed Kamala Harris' SNL cameo, to lead the FCC Federal authorities first acknowledged the hack in October. —Francesca Chambers, USA TODAY, 27 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