mime

[mahym, meem]

noun

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

2. an actor who specializes in this art.

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

4. a player in such a farce.

5. mimic.

6. a jester, clown, or comedian.

verb (used with object)

mimed, miming 

1. to mimic.

2. to act in mime.

verb (used without object)

mimed, miming 

1. to play a part by mime or mimicry.

mime

¹

/ maɪm /

noun

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

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

3. a dramatic presentation using such a technique

4. 1. a comic performance depending for effect largely on exaggerated gesture and physical action

   2. an actor in such a performance

verb

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

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

MIME

²

abbreviation

1. multipurpose internet mail extensions

Other Word Forms

• mimer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of mime¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of mime¹

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

Example Sentences

She says she has found a creative outlet in the form of dance, and wants to study dance, mime and physical theatre, but is struggling to find a course she can access.

From BBC

Williams would look into the camera, mime taking a drag from a cigarette, throw her head back and say, “I have lived!”

From Salon

There’s an episode where I’m shot in the leg, and I’m bleeding out and I’m on all this different morphine and drugs and all this stuff, and I’m literally lying on this ground, take after take, having to mime this.

From Los Angeles Times

In the late 1980s, Ms Lloyd was studying at a school of mime in London where she befriended magician Jenny Winstanley.

From BBC

It’s delightfully lacking in nuance, portraying every last French person as a mime or a beret-wearing wino speaking broken, heavily accented French.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• comedian