Chaplin

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A prominent British filmmaker and actor known for his silent film characters
2. A cultural icon celebrated for his pioneering contributions to the film industry
3. An influential figure in the history of cinema recognized for his comedic genius and social commentary

Etymology: Charlie Chaplin's surname began as a job title. It comes from Old French "chapelain," meaning chaplain, a priest attached to a chapel, which in turn traces to Medieval Latin "cappellanus." The medieval Latin word is linked to "cappella," a little cloak, after the cloak of Saint Martin of Tours that was kept as a relic and gave its name to the shrine where it was housed. Families who took the surname were typically descended from someone who worked in a chapel. The surname became famous through the London-born actor, whose tramp character, with baggy trousers, a small moustache and a cane, made his name synonymous with silent-film slapstick. Calling a performer "a Chaplin" thus means naming a comic in his mould, and the sense rests entirely on one man's name rather than on any meaning the surname carried.

Synonyms: chaplain, clergyman, minister, cleric, pastor