cameo
American Heritage Dictionary:
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cam·e·o
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| (Click to enlarge) |
| cameo |
| (© School Division, Houghton Mifflin Company) |
n., pl., -os.
- A gem or shell carved in relief, especially one in which the raised design and the background consist of layers of contrasting colors.
- The technique of carving in this way.
- A medallion with a profile cut in raised relief.
- A brief vivid portrayal or depiction: a literary cameo.
- A brief appearance of a prominent actor, as in a single scene of a motion picture. Also called cameo role.
v., -oed, -o·ing, -os. v.tr.
- To make into or like a gem or shell carved in relief.
- To portray in sharp, delicate relief, as in a literary composition.
To make a brief appearance, as in a film: She cameoed as Anne Boleyn in A Man for All Seasons.
[Italian cameo and Middle English cameu (from Old French camaieu and and Medieval Latin camahūtus).]
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has a plural cameos. In its meaning 'a small character part in a play or film', it is used mainly attributively, as in cameo part, cameo role, etc.:
Rather than play these zonking great parts...I will try to find some dazzling little cameo roles—Times, 1976.
| camellia, cambric, calorie | |
| campanile, can noun, can verb |
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(click to enlarge)
“The Rape of Europa,” cameo in gold and enamel frame, 16th–17th century; in (credit: Courtesy of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna)
“The Rape of Europa,” cameo in gold and enamel frame, 16th–17th century; in (credit: Courtesy of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna)
For more information on cameo, visit Britannica.com.
A type of carved gemstone in which the background is cut away to leave the subject in relief. Often cameos are cut from stones in which the coloring is layered, resulting in a figure of one color and a background of another. The term cameo, when used without qualification, is usually reserved for those cut from a gem mineral, although they are known also as stone cameos. The commonly encountered cameo cut from shell is properly called a shell cameo.
Most cameos are cut from onyx or agate, but many other varieties of quartz, such as tiger's-eye, bloodstone, sard, carnelian, and amethyst, are used; other materials used include beryl, malachite, hematite, labradorite, and moonstone. See also Gem; Intaglio (gemology).
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[Ar]
A Roman glass object made of two or more layers of different coloured glass bonded together, into the top of which is cut a design. Normally, a lighter coloured glass is used for the upper layer, so that when cut by the engraver the darker under-layer shows through. The technique was used in the manufacture of substantial objects such as vases and decorative plaques, although the commonly found applications are small insets for finger-rings or jewellery.
Columbia Encyclopedia:
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cameo
cameo (kăm'ēō), small relief carving, usually on striated precious or semiprecious stones or on shell. The design, often a portrait head, is commonly cut in the light-colored vein, and the dark one is left as the background. Glass of two colors in layers may be cameo-cut; a famous Roman example is the Portland vase. The art originated in Asia as a decoration on the reverse side of seals. The Greeks were noted for their exquisite designs and cutting on jewelry and on decorations for jewel caskets, vases, cups, and candelabra. The Romans were adept cutters, and Rome remains a center of experts in this art. The art was revived during the Renaissance, and cameo jewelry was a vogue of the Victorian era.
Word Tutor:
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cameo
IN BRIEF: Any small engraved or carved work in relief. Also: A small role performed by a well-known actor.
The actor made a cameo appearance in the little known film.
LearnThatWord.com is a free vocabulary and spelling program where you only pay for results!
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In some countries a recognized color variety of longhaired cats with copper-colored eyes and a coat color that is basically a silver, cream or white undercoat with red tips that vary in intensity on different parts of the body.
Random House Word Menu:
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categories related to 'cameo'
- Jewelry - cameo: gem carved in relief, esp. portrait
- Actors, Characters, and Theater People - cameo: small role played by a famous actor; brief appearance in play
- Movie People and Show Business - cameo: small part played by actor who is usu. featured
- Pink
See crossword solutions for the clue Translations:
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Cameo
Dansk (Danish)
n. - kame, karakterstudie
Nederlands (Dutch)
camee, miniatuur-, karakterschets, kleine karakterrol
Français (French)
n. - camée, (Théât, Cin) petit rôle
Deutsch (German)
n. - Kamee, Sketch, Nebenrolle
Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - καμέα, αναγλυφόλιθος, σύντομο λογοτέχνημα ή θεατρικό σκετς, εμφάνιση γνωστού ηθοποιού σε σύντομο ρόλο
Português (Portuguese)
n. - camafeu (m)
Русский (Russian)
камея, эпизодическая роль
Español (Spanish)
n. - camafeo
Svenska (Swedish)
n. - kamé, karaktärsstudie
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
有浮雕的贝壳
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 有浮雕的貝殼
한국어 (Korean)
n. - 카메오 세공, 주옥 같은 장면
العربيه (Arabic)
(الاسم) دور صغير في فلم أو مسرحيه, نقش بارز على حجر كريم
עברית (Hebrew)
n. - תכשיט, קמיע, מערכון, תפקיד קטן המשוחק ע"י שחקן ידוע
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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