cameo

American  

[kam-ee-oh] / ˈkæm iˌoʊ /

noun

• cameos
  plural

1. a technique of engraving upon a gem or other stone, as onyx, in such a way that an underlying stone of one color is exposed as a background for a low-relief design of another color.

2. a gem or other stone so engraved.

3. a literary sketch, small dramatic scene, or the like, that effectively presents or depicts its subject.

   His collection of poetry gives us cameos of contemporary life that we can all readily identify with.

4. Also called cameo role. a minor part played by a prominent performer or celebrity in a single scene of a motion picture, play, or television show.

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verb (used without object)

1. to appear in a cameo role, as in a motion picture.

   She’s starred or cameoed in five films by the same director.

cameo British  

/ ˈkæmɪˌəʊ /

noun

1. 1. a medallion, as on a brooch or ring, with a profile head carved in relief

   2. ( as modifier )

      a cameo necklace

2. an engraving upon a gem or other stone of at least two differently coloured layers, such as sardonyx, so carved that the background is of a different colour from the raised design

3. a stone with such an engraving

4. 1. a single and often brief dramatic scene played by a well-known actor or actress in a film or television play

   2. ( as modifier )

      a cameo role

5. 1. a short literary work or dramatic sketch

   2. ( as modifier )

      a cameo sketch

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• cameos
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of cameo

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English cameu, cemieus, chamehieux “engraved gem,” from Old French camaieu and Medieval Latin cammaeus, cammeus, camahūtus; further origin uncertain

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Explanation

If your friend gives you a piece of jewelry that has a raised carving of a face in profile showing all the curves and shapes, that’s called a cameo. Often used to show a person’s head in profile, a cameo typically has two layers of color: one color for the subject and another one for the background. The detail is depicted not by color or shades but instead by the raised design, which is called a relief. A cameo is typically used for a piece of jewelry, such as a ring or a brooch, and it has an ornate, old-fashioned quality. You may have seen this type of jewelry depicted in Victorian paintings or possibly worn by your great grandmother.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cameo cameos

Think Jerky is trying to build and expand a sustainable business after a cameo by its sriracha honey turkey jerky made it a viral hit.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

An American photograph of the disembodied arm looming above the Philadelphia fairgrounds is matched by an 1878 painting showing the statue’s head, which made a cameo at that year’s Paris Universal Exposition.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026

He'd hoped to watch other streamers react to the blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo, but says many of his friends missed it.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

"I will always represent my country to the best of my ability," Lewis said of his two-try cameo in Perth.

From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026

After they leave, I take out the cameo of my mother and set it on the pillow beside me.

From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton

There’s a modernist tension between the conventional and the madcap: The likes of Andrew Scott and Lena Dunham have cameos, but the show also is shot in a quasi-documentary, shaky-cam style.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026

It also features sparkling cameos from Penélope Cruz as a sultry cabaret dancer and Glenn Close as a Spanish-speaking American professor.

From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026

She made show-stopping cameos in the “Sex and the City” spinoff “And Just Like That. . .,”

From Salon ● Sep. 3, 2026

Since then, Curry had been in a wheelchair, with on-screen cameos including as the criminologist in the 2016 TV remake of “Rocky Horror.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

The promenades boast animated cameos and portraits of famed courtiers that wink and wave as we pass.

From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton

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Related Words

• bracelet
• brooch
• costume
• earring
• gem
• glass
• gold
• jewel
• knickknack
• necklace
• ornament
• pendant
• silver
• tiara
• treasure
• trinket

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