pantomime

/ˈpæntəˌmaɪm/
noun
  1. A type of theatrical entertainment, especially in Britain, that includes music, comedy, and audience participation, often based on a fairy tale and performed around Christmas.
    • Every December, the local theater puts on a pantomime of Cinderella with lots of silly jokes.
    • Pantomime season is a big tradition in the UK, with families attending shows together.
    • The children loved shouting 'He's behind you!' during the pantomime performance.
  2. A performance or expression using gestures and body movements without words; mime.
    • The street performer used pantomime to tell the story of a fisherman catching a giant fish.
    • She communicated her request through pantomime because the music was too loud to speak.
    • In silent films, actors relied on pantomime to convey emotions and actions.
  3. An absurd or exaggerated situation or piece of behavior.
    • The whole argument was just a pantomime; no one really meant what they said.
    • Watching the politicians argue on TV felt like a ridiculous pantomime.
    • The meeting turned into a pantomime of accusations and denials.
Synonyms
verb
  1. To express or represent something using gestures and body movements without speaking.
    • He pantomimed drinking from a cup to show he was thirsty.
    • She pantomimed playing the violin while the music played.
    • The teacher pantomimed a sneeze to demonstrate how germs spread.
What does "pantomime" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean