noun
vaudeville
VAW-d-vihl
noun
1
A style of variety theatre made up of unrelated acts — singers, comedians, dancers, acrobats — popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
"Many early Hollywood comedians got their start performing in vaudeville."
"The old theater once hosted vaudeville shows every weekend."
How to Use Vaudeville
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishOld-fashioned variety-show theatre with a mix of short acts.
Common pairings
a vaudeville act
vaudeville performer
vaudeville circuit
Word Forms
vaudevilles plural
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Etymology
Borrowed from French vaudeville, originally referring to light satirical songs.