comedian
Americannoun
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a professional entertainer who amuses by relating anecdotes, acting out comical situations, engaging in humorous repartee, etc.
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an actor in comedy.
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a writer of comedy.
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any comical or amusing person.
noun
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an entertainer who specializes in jokes, comic skits, etc
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an actor in comedy
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an amusing or entertaining person: sometimes used ironically
Etymology
Origin of comedian
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."
Vocabulary lists containing comedian
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for February 19–February 25, 2022
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -an
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“The Wedding Entertainer” tells the story of a disgraced Hasidic comedian who is looking to book one last gig to raise the $20,000 he needs to marry off his daughter.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026
When it comes to exploring Los Angeles, there are three things that actor and comedian Randall Park loves to do: shop, eat and run.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026
It first took place in 2025 and aims to celebrate the legacy of the late comedian, who died in 2014 at the age of 56.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
At subway stations, US actor and comedian Tracy Morgan's voice booms out over the speakers with a rallying cry of "Orange and blue skies, baby!" and "Go New York, Go!"
From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026
They even had a comedian who did impersonations.
From "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
