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

That same episode, Travis — who’d hosted SNL earlier that year — also made a quick cameo during a sketch poking fun at the NFL’s interest in his and Swift’s love life. —Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 14 Mar. 2025

The cameo list for the film is expected to be large, and several musicians have already been confirmed, including Elton John, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, and Trisha Yearwood. —Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2025

Lake Como’s cultural cachet has also been enhanced due to cameo roles in films and TV shows such as Casino Royale (2006), House of Gucci (2021), Succession (2022) and Mr and Mrs Smith (2024). —Lysanne Currie, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025

This is just a small sample of some of the strangest and most outlandish cameos Mario and his pals have ever made in a video game. —Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 10 Mar. 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