vaudeville

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The Word of the Day for October 25 is: 

vaudeville   \VAUD-vil\   noun
          1 : a light often comic theatrical piece frequently combining 
pantomime, dialogue, dancing, and song
    *2 : stage entertainment consisting of various acts (as performing animals, 
acrobats, comedians, dancers, or singers)
 

Example sentence:
          Andrew’s interest in vaudeville can be traced to his grandparents, 
who met as performers in the 1920s.

Did you know?
          In the 15th century, several amusing songs became popular across 
France. These songs were said to have been written by a man named Olivier 
Basselin who lived in the valley of the river Vire in northwest France. The 
songs eventually became known as "chansons de vau-de-Vire," meaning "songs of 
the valley of Vire." Other people began writing and performing similar songs, 
and as this form of entertainment became more widespread, the link to 
vau-de-Vire was forgotten. The nickname was shortened to one word, "vaudevire." 
As the phenomenon spread beyond France, further changes in pronunciation and 
spelling shifted "vaudevire" into "vaudeville." The meaning also broadened to 
include humorous performances and variety shows.





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