mime

[mahym, meem]

noun

the art or technique of portraying a character, mood, idea, or narration by gestures and bodily movements; pantomime.

an actor who specializes in this art.

an ancient Greek or Roman farce that depended for effect largely upon ludicrous actions and gestures.

a player in such a farce.

mimic(def 4).

a jester, clown, or comedian.

verb (used with object), mimed, mim·ing.

to mimic.

to act in mime.

verb (used without object), mimed, mim·ing.

to play a part by mime or mimicry.

Origin of mime

1610–20; < Latin mīmus < Greek mîmos imitator, mime, akin to mīmeîsthai to copy, imitate

Related formsmim·er, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for miming

comedian, pantomime, impersonator, mimic, imitator, pantomimist, caricature, mimicry, imitation, mockery, imitate, pretend, impersonate, represent, farce, clown, buffoon, copy, ape

Examples from the Web for miming

Contemporary Examples of miming

Roy Choi is miming eating a Cuban sandwich while dancing to an unheard beat.
Street Food Guru Roy Choi on Sunny Spot, Food Trucks, Kogi & More
Jace Lacob
December 13, 2011

Historical Examples of miming

"Papa sails tomorrow," said someone, miming her desperate tones.
My Shipmate--Columbus
Stephen Wilder
Sammy raised his eyebrows and spread out his hands, miming What happens now?
Makers
Cory Doctorow
The entire corps vibrated with life, did their full share in the dancing and miming.
The Russian Ballet
Ellen Terry
He compelled the old man to run through his paces, as Holloway criticized each study in miming.
The Voice on the Wire
Eustace Hale Ball
Now the miming of ordinary ballet-dancers has often in the past seemed to be more than a little ridiculous.
The Russian Ballet
Ellen Terry

British Dictionary definitions for miming

MIME

abbreviation for

multipurpose internet mail extensions

mime

noun

the theatrical technique of expressing an idea or mood or portraying a character entirely by gesture and bodily movement without the use of words

Also called: mime artist a performer specializing in such a technique, esp a comic actor

a dramatic presentation using such a technique

(in the classical theatre)

a comic performance depending for effect largely on exaggerated gesture and physical action
an actor in such a performance

verb

to express (an idea) in actions or gestures without speech

(of singers or musicians) to perform as if singing (a song) or playing (a piece of music) that is actually prerecorded

Derived Formsmimer, noun

Word Origin for mime

Old English mīma, from Latin mīmus mimic actor, from Greek mimos imitator

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

Word Origin and History for miming

mime

c.1600, "a buffoon who practices gesticulations" [Johnson], from French mime (16c.) and directly from Latin mimus, from Greek mimos "imitator, mimic, actor, mime, buffoon," of unknown origin. In reference to a performance, 1640s in a classical context; 1932 as "a pantomime."

mime

1610s, "to act without words," from mime (n.). The transferred sense of "to imitate" is from 1733 (Greek mimeisthai meant "to imitate"). Meaning "to pretend to be singing a pre-recorded song" is from 1965. Related: mimed; miming.