- vaudevil
- Vaudeville Vaude"ville, n. [F., fr. Vau-de-vire, a village in
Normandy, where Olivier Basselin, at the end of the 14th
century, composed such songs.] [Written also {vaudevil}.]
[1913 Webster]
1. A kind of song of a lively character, frequently embodying
a satire on some person or event, sung to a familiar air
in couplets with a refrain; a street song; a topical song.
[1913 Webster]
2. A theatrical piece, usually a comedy, the dialogue of which is intermingled with light or satirical songs, set to familiar airs. [1913 Webster]
The early vaudeville, which is the forerunner of the opera bouffe, was light, graceful, and piquant. --Johnson's Cyc. [1913 Webster]
3. a {variety show} when performed live in a theater (see above); as, to play in vaudeville; a vaudeville actor. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
