divertissement

American  

[dih-vur-tis-muhnt, dee-ver-tees-mahn] / dɪˈvɜr tɪs mənt, di vɛr tisˈmɑ̃ /

noun

plural

divertissements

1. a diversion or entertainment.

2. Music. divertimento.

3. a short ballet or other performance serving as an interlude in a play, opera, etc.

4. a program consisting of such performances.

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divertissement British  

/ dɪˈvɜːtɪsmənt, divɛrtismɑ̃ /

noun

1. a brief entertainment or diversion, usually between the acts of a play

2. music

   1. a fantasia on popular melodies; potpourri

   2. a piece or pieces written to be played during the intervals in a play, opera, etc

   3. another word for divertimento

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Etymology

Origin of divertissement

1720–30; < French, equivalent to divertisse- (stem of divertir to divert ) + -ment -ment

Example Sentences

This 1898 divertissement by Marius Petipa, to the melodious music of Alexander Glazunov, is accented with moves shaped by Hungarian folk dance and has long been a staple of various classical ballet companies.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

The loveliest expression of these is in the second act, where the enchanted forest is replaced by a pure-dance divertissement.

From Washington Post • Jun. 10, 2022

But its engagement with these subjects rarely goes beyond the decorative, and the light, airy divertissement I was expecting feels curiously bogged down rather than liberated by Anderson’s five-part vignette structure.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 5, 2021

Nowhere in “Carousel” do we ever feel a dance is a mere divertissement or set piece.

From New York Times • Apr. 19, 2018

With a slight splash, Matthew began scooping quartered slices of peaches into his mouth with such a zealous sucking and slurping that even his father paused to witness the divertissement.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

Related Words

• amusement
• art
• avocation
• craft
• diversion
• fad
• fun
• obsession
• specialty
• sport