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Synonyms

master of ceremonies

American  

noun

  1. a person who directs the entertainment at a party, dinner, nightclub, radio or television broadcast, or the like, acting as host and introducing the speakers or performers. M.C., MC


master of ceremonies British  

noun

  1.  MC.  a person who presides over a public ceremony, formal dinner, or entertainment, introducing the events, performers, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of master of ceremonies

First recorded in 1655–65

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.

See Examples For:

The superintendent himself served as the master of ceremonies, with performers weaving around him, cameos by celebrities, and slide projections and film sequences appearing on cue to supplement his applause and laugh lines.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 21, 2026

Mr. Stace is a novelist, a singer-songwriter and the master of ceremonies of Wesley Stace’s Cabinet of Wonders.

From The Wall Street Journal Feb. 6, 2026

Pap, as he liked to be called, presided as master of ceremonies.

From Slate Jan. 13, 2026

For the uninitiated, “Cabaret” begins with a marionette-like male character named the Emcee, the omnipresent master of ceremonies of an underground Kit Kat Club in 1931 Berlin, smiling into a warped mirror.

From Salon Oct. 4, 2025

I heard he was going to be the master of ceremonies for that awful talent show they have.

From "Tears of a Tiger" by Sharon M. Draper

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