plural cameos
1
a
: a gem carved in relief (see relief entry 1 sense 6)
especially
: a small piece of sculpture on a stone or shell cut in relief in one layer with another contrasting layer serving as background
b
: a small medallion (see medallion sense 2) with a profiled head in relief
2
: a carving or sculpture made in the manner of a cameo
3
: a usually brief literary or filmic piece that brings into delicate or sharp relief the character of a person, place, or event
his cameos and short commentaries on men and manners—
R. T. Dunlop
R. T. Dunlop4
: a small theatrical role usually performed by a well-known actor and often limited to a single scene
A major star appears in a cameo in the movie.
broadly
: a brief appearance or role
cameo
adjective
cameo
verb, transitive + intransitive
Examples of cameo in a Sentence
He has a brief cameo in the film.
Recent Examples on the Web
Read on for a full breakdown of the Happy Gilmore 2 cast, from returning fan favorites to all the exciting cameos.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Famous for his signature blond mustache and red bandana, Hogan was also known for making cameos as himself in projects such as 1999’s Muppets From Space and TV show The Goldbergs.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 24 July 2025
Additional cameos include broadcasters Jim Nantz and Trevor Immelman, Good Good’s Matt Scharff, Brad Dalke and Garrett Clark, as well as golf enthusiast Dan Rapaport.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 23 July 2025
The actress even recruited her new(ish) German Shepherd puppy Sully for a cameo.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for cameo
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Famous for his signature blond mustache and red bandana, Hogan was also known for making cameos as himself in projects such as 1999’s Muppets From Space and TV show The Goldbergs.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 24 July 2025
Additional cameos include broadcasters Jim Nantz and Trevor Immelman, Good Good’s Matt Scharff, Brad Dalke and Garrett Clark, as well as golf enthusiast Dan Rapaport.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 23 July 2025
The actress even recruited her new(ish) German Shepherd puppy Sully for a cameo.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for cameo
Cite this Entry
“Cameo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cameo. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cameo
noun
cam·eo
ˈkam-ē-ˌō 
plural cameos
1
: a carved gem in which the design is higher than its background
2
: a small role (as in a movie) performed by a well-known actor
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