comedian
Americannoun
-
a professional entertainer who amuses by relating anecdotes, acting out comical situations, engaging in humorous repartee, etc.
-
an actor in comedy.
-
a writer of comedy.
-
any comical or amusing person.
noun
-
an entertainer who specializes in jokes, comic skits, etc
-
an actor in comedy
-
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Building Bridges" and "The Right Words at the Right Time"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -an
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
And then as far as my Netflix Is a Joke special, I also want people to know I don’t consider myself a stand-up comedian because that’s a different art in itself.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026
The hopefuls included the daughter of late autocrat Alberto Fujimori, a comedian who imitates his rivals, a fugitive, and a business magnate who has adopted the nickname Porky because of his chubby face.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026
I wanted to be a comedian, I wanted to be a poet, and I wanted to be a photographer.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
Thai Randolph spent the best part of seven years building comedian Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat from an upstart production studio into a fully fledged media company.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
This bird, thought Palmer, is either dumb, clumsy or a comedian.
From "Wringer" by Jerry Spinelli
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.
