I. ˈpantəˌmīm, ˈpaan- also -ˌmēm; ÷ -ˌmīn noun
Etymology: Latin pantomimus, from Greek pantomimos actor, mimic, from pant- + mimos mime — more at mime
1. or pan·to·mi·mus ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˈmīməs plural pantomi·mi -īˌmī
a. : a solo dancer of imperial Rome acting all the characters of a story (as of tragic love) usually from myth or history by means of steps, postures, and gestures alone with the help of changes of mask and costume, a chorus singing the narrative usually in Greek, an orchestra, and sometimes an assistant
b. : a performance featuring such a dancer — compare mime 3
2. archaic : pantomimist 1
3.
a. : an 18th century French or English ballet modeled on the Roman pantomime with subjects from classical mythology
b. : an 18th century English harlequinade originally burlesquing the pantomime ballet, performed by dancing comedians, and serving as an interlude or afterpiece
c. : a British theatrical extravaganza of the Christmas season based on a story now usually adapted from a traditional nursery tale, featuring topical songs, tableaux, dances, and similar entertainments in a blend of broad humor, fantasy, melodrama, sentimentality, and morality, and formerly incorporating a harlequinade introduced by a scene in which the persons of the tale are magically transformed into those of the harlequinade — called also panto ; see dame 5, principal boy
4. : a sequence of movements or actions not accompanied by speech or seen from beyond earshot
her face enacting a vivid pantomime of the criticisms passing in her mind — Thomas Hardy
she strolled up to him … and I saw the pantomime of the introduction — Mary Deasy
5. : expressive bodily movement in drama or dance:
a. : expressive movements (as of the face, hands) of an actor ; especially : silent acting
b. : movement in a ballet that develops a story and is more realistic and less conventionalized than dance movement
c. : expressive movements made by a ballet dancer except with the legs
6.
a. : a dramatic performance using no dialogue
b. : a dance that enacts a story especially by mimed action : a ballet mime
7.
a. : the art of expressing the action of a story by simplified, exaggerated, and often conventionally symbolic gestures without words
b. : the genre of theatrical entertainment comprising pantomimes
II. transitive verb
: to represent by pantomime
the Butcher's Dance in which he would pantomime the killing and carving of an animal — Phyllis Pearsall
I pantomimed the fact that I'd come a long way — Sally Carrighar
intransitive verb
: to engage in pantomime