comedian

American  

[kuh-mee-dee-uhn] / kəˈmi di ən /

noun

• comedians
  plural

1. a professional entertainer who amuses by relating anecdotes, acting out comical situations, engaging in humorous repartee, etc.

2. an actor in comedy.

3. a writer of comedy.

4. any comical or amusing person.

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comedian British  

/ kəˈmiːdɪən /

noun

1. an entertainer who specializes in jokes, comic skits, etc

2. an actor in comedy

3. an amusing or entertaining person: sometimes used ironically

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• comedians
  plural

Etymology

Origin of comedian

1575–85; < Middle French comediain; see comedy, -ian

Explanation

A comedian tells jokes for a living. If you have the ability to crack everyone up at the dinner table, your mom might say that you should be a comedian. Comedians perform in various ways: a stand-up comedian, for example, tells jokes on a stage at a comedy club. Other comedians might perform improvisational comedy routines in a group, or be featured in a funny movie. In the 16th century, a comedian was specifically a "comic poet," while later the words comedian and actor were briefly interchangeable. It comes from the Greek komoidia, "an amusing spectacle."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

comedian comedians

Broadcaster Emma Willis, comedian Josh Widdicombe and former Strictly professional Johannes Radebe made their presenting debut on Saturday, taking over from long-running hosting duo Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who left the show last year.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

Professional comedian Nate Bargatze, who hosted last year, was much more of a dark horse.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026

"Hacks," the tale of a stand-up comedian trying to revive her career and the dysfunctional millennial assistant who helps her, had led the way for comedies with 24 nominations, compared to 19 for "Widow's Bay."

From Barron's ● Sep. 12, 2026

This week, my feed was flooded with people dissecting the trailer and early coverage surrounding the upcoming documentary about Elizabeth Holmes, “You Can See Everything,” co-directed by comedian Nathan Fielder and filmmaker Lance Oppenheim.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

Jasper Jr. said I was a real comedian.

From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen

They are not the first comedians to have had their work edited or removed in recent years, as societal attitudes have shifted.

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026

To them, Hargitay was, prima facie, the least challenging choice amid polarizing comedians and a shrinking roster of late-night hosts.

From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2026

Bishop said: "I went out for a motorbike ride with Tim Peake, who's a brilliant lad and a great cyclist. I learnt a lesson today. Astronauts are better motorcyclists than comedians."

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

Musician Hans Zimmer, bands Imagine Dragons and the Chainsmokers, as well as comedians Russell Peters and Trevor Noah, are scheduled to perform in the country before the year’s end.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

I now know why comedians are important in culture.

From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Related Words

• actor
• clown
• comic
• entertainer
• humorist