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.
At one point in the conversation, they drop into an impression of comedian Tracey Ullman doing an impression of British actress Helen Mirren in perfect sync.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
In a creative-writing class on my first day of college, I met Michael Ian Black, who would later become an actor and comedian.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
An archive of previously-unreleased material by the late comedian Rik Mayall is to be showcased at the second annual festival held in his honour.
From BBC • May 25, 2026
The episode was so crammed with top celebrities who showed up to share a last moment with the comedian that it extended nearly 30 minutes beyond its usual one-hour run time.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
Backstage at the Apollo Theater in Harlem one day, the comedian Dick Gregory looked at me.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
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.
