Kabuki

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Pronunciation: /kəˈbuːki/

Definitions

1. A form of Japanese theatrical performance featuring elaborate costumes, stylized movements, and male actors in all roles, traditionally performed on a raised stage
2. A traditional form of Japanese theater characterized by highly stylized acting, elaborate makeup and costumes, and an all-male cast performing dramatic narratives
3. Japanese theatrical art form distinguished by exaggerated gestures, ornate visual presentation, and exclusively male performers presenting classical and contemporary stories

Etymology: Kabuki is written with three characters that each carry a separate meaning: 歌 (ka, "song"), 舞 (bu, "dance") and 伎 (ki, "skill" or "art"). Together they name a form of theatre that blends music, dance and acting, and the word was borrowed into English directly from Japanese. The characters are the most revealing part of the story. The word was not coined to label a single style of acting but describes the art as a whole: song, dance and skill, in that order. The ki element, 伎, is a term for performing skill, which is why the name stresses craft as much as the stage itself. Readers who know the word mainly as a description of painted faces and sweeping gestures may be surprised that its original sense is simply "song, dance, skill."