Definition of "cameo" []

• A gem or shell carved in relief, especially one in which the raised design and the background consist of layers of contrasting colors. (noun)
• The technique of carving in this way. (noun)
• A medallion with a profile cut in raised relief. (noun)
• A brief vivid portrayal or depiction: a literary cameo. (noun)
• A brief appearance of a prominent actor, as in a single scene of a motion picture. Also called cameo role. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "This cameo is the reason why Connery got bumped to the number two position on the list."
• "This cameo is a perfect example of playing against type, and it probably has something to do with a bit of an Alice Cooper re-emergence around the early nineties."
• "They come and make what we call cameo appearances, but as a group, they didn't hang."