plural cameos
1
a
: a gem carved in relief (see relief entry 1 sense 6)
especially
: a small piece of sculpture on a stone or shell cut in relief in one layer with another contrasting layer serving as background
b
: a small medallion (see medallion sense 2) with a profiled head in relief
2
: a carving or sculpture made in the manner of a cameo
3
: a usually brief literary or filmic piece that brings into delicate or sharp relief the character of a person, place, or event
his cameos and short commentaries on men and manners—
R. T. Dunlop
R. T. Dunlop4
: a small theatrical role usually performed by a well-known actor and often limited to a single scene
A major star appears in a cameo in the movie.
broadly
: a brief appearance or role
cameo
adjective
cameo
verb, transitive + intransitive
Examples of cameo in a Sentence
He has a brief cameo in the film.
Recent Examples on the Web
However, the vague description doesn’t explicitly state whether an actor like Cooper or even Kevin Hart, who appeared in last week’s episode playing himself over a Facetime call with Jeanine Teagues (Quinta Brunson), would constitute a cameo.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 13 May 2024
His graduates have affectionately cast him in cameo roles, including Coppola in The Godfather: Part II (1974) and Demme in The Silence of the Lambs (1991), Philadelphia (1993) and Rachel Getting Married (2008).
—Duane Byrge, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for cameo 
Clayton Davis, Variety, 13 May 2024
His graduates have affectionately cast him in cameo roles, including Coppola in The Godfather: Part II (1974) and Demme in The Silence of the Lambs (1991), Philadelphia (1993) and Rachel Getting Married (2008).
—Duane Byrge, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for cameo
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cameo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Cameo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cameo. Accessed 18 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cameo
noun
cam·eo
ˈkam-ē-ˌō 
plural cameos
1
: a carved gem in which the design is higher than its background
2
: a small role (as in a movie) performed by a well-known actor
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