pantomime

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromπαντόμιμος
2. Latin · derived frompantomīmus
3. English todaypantomime

First appears c. 1606, from Latin pantomīmus, from Ancient Greek παντόμιμος (pantómimos), from πᾶς (pâs, “each, all”) + μιμέομαι (miméomai, “to mimic”). The verbal form first appears c. 1768.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 17th c. A Classical comic actor, especially one who works mainly through gesture and mime.
• from 17th c. The drama in ancient Greece and Rome featuring such performers; or (later) any of various kinds of performance modelled on such work.
• from 18th c. A traditional theatrical entertainment, originally based on the commedia dell'arte, but later aimed mostly at children and involving physical comedy, topical jokes, call and response, and fairy-tale plots.
• from 18th c. The act of gesturing without speaking; a dumb-show, a mime.