PANTOMIME

(Yunanca köken — orijinale bakınız.) A species of theatrical entertainment, in which, according to the derivation of the word, the whole action of the piece should be represented by gesticulation, without the use of words: also, a theatrical performer skilled in mimicry. The English pantomime is an amusement peculiar to our theatre. A cla of actors in vogue at Rome, who performed pieces in dumb show, expre ing every thing bjtheir dancing and gestures, were also called pantomimes, and were in all probability the archetypes of this species of amusement among ourselves. (See the Conversations- Lexicon; and as to ancient pantomimes, Mem.de V Ac. des hiscr. vol. xxiii.) See Mimes. [s. 891]