WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
pan•to•mime /ˈpæntəˌmaɪm/USA pronunciation
n., v., -mimed, -mim•ing.
n.
v.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026n.
- Show Business[uncountable] the art of conveying actions and thoughts by movements without speech.
- Show Business[countable] a play or entertainment in which the performers express themselves by gesture alone.
v.
- to represent or express in pantomime: [~ + object]He pantomimed hunger by rubbing his belly and groaning.[no object]He pantomimed by rubbing his stomach and groaning.
pan•to•mime
(pan′tə mīm′),USA pronunciation n., v., -mimed, -mim•ing.
n.
v.t.
v.i.
pan•to•mim•ic
(pan′tə mim′ik),USA pronunciation pan′to•mim′i•cal, adj.
pan′to•mim′i•cal•ly, adv.
pan′to•mim′ic•ry, n.
n.
- Show Businessthe art or technique of conveying emotions, actions, feelings, etc., by gestures without speech.
- Show Businessa play or entertainment in which the performers express themselves mutely by gestures, often to the accompaniment of music.
- significant gesture without speech.
- Antiquity, Show Businessan actor in dumb show, as in ancient Rome.
- Show BusinessAlso called Christmas pantomime. a form of theatrical spectacle common in England during the Christmas season, generally adapted from a fairy tale and including stock character types who perform songs and dances, tell jokes, etc.
v.t.
- to represent or express in pantomime.
v.i.
- to express oneself in pantomime.
- Greek pantómīmos. See panto-, mime
- Latin
- 1580–90; earlier pantomimus
pan′to•mim′ic•ry, n.
'pantomimic' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):