Mimers

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. Individuals who perform using silent gestures and facial expressions to convey a story or emotion; those who imitate the speech or actions of others for entertainment or satire; people skilled in mimicking sounds, movements, or behaviors to communicate without words
2. Persons adept at the art of silent dramatization through expressive body language; actors who reproduce mannerisms or voices of others to amuse or criticize; experts in copying physical or vocal traits as a form of communication or performance
3. Performers employing nonverbal expression and movement to portray characters or narratives; people who replicate others' speech or conduct humorously or critically; individuals who excel in impersonation by imitating gestures, sounds, or actions without spoken language

Etymology: The word "mimers" is simply the plural of "mimer," which is a mime plus the agent suffix "-er." The mime itself is the more interesting half: it traces back through Latin "mimus" to Greek "mimos," meaning an imitator or actor, and the Greek stage was full of such performers who copied gestures and speech for comic effect. The suffix took a longer road. It descends from a very old Indo-European marker for "one who does," which passed through Italic and Latin "-arius" and Old French "-ier" before reaching English as "-er," so a mimer is, in the end, a person whose trade is mimicry.

Synonyms: actors, performers, mimes, improvisers, pantomimes

Antonyms: audience, spectators