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
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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 author is a comedian, TV writer, storytelling teacher and the winner of the first L.A.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026
The Westchester home isn’t the only abode that the comedian is cutting ties with.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026
The first season of “Pretty Tough” will feature interviews with guests including comedian Chelsea Handler and National Football League CFO Christine Dorfler.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
Other stars who featured in the singer's classic Hollywood-themed gig were comedian Will Ferrell and actor Sam Elliott.
From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026
Pegleg Bates, the one-legged tap dancer, was appearing, along with a band and a comedian.
From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers
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.
