What does "entertainment" mean?

1. (general amusement) the feeling of being amused or the general activity of having fun through shows, music, or games. 2. (a specific show) a specific performance or show, like a play or a concert. 3. (the industry) the business of making films, television, and music.

entertainment

US //ˌɛnɝˈteɪnmənt// UK //ˌɛntətˈeɪnmənt// en·ter·tain·ment

1 general amusement (n.)
B1 Intermediate

the feeling of being amused or the general activity of having fun through shows, music, or games.

the action of providing or being provided with amusement or enjoyment. Uncountable in this abstract sense.

Example

The city offers plenty of entertainment for families, including parks and museums.

Example

The cruise ship provides a wide variety of entertainment to ensure that passengers of all ages remain occupied during the long voyage.
- boredom
- work
2 a specific show (n.)
B1 Intermediate

a specific performance or show, like a play or a concert.

a specific performance, event, or activity designed to amuse an audience. Countable in this sense.

Example

The local school put on a musical entertainment for the parents.

Example

The evening's entertainment consisted of a string quartet followed by a brief but impressive display of traditional folk dancing.

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3 the industry (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

the business of making films, television, and music.

the commercial industry devoted to producing and distributing media for public amusement.

Example

She moved to Los Angeles to find a job in the entertainment industry.

Example

Technological shifts have fundamentally altered the entertainment landscape, forcing traditional studios to compete with global streaming platforms.
- show business
- media

Origin

From Middle English entretenement (“support, maintenance”), from Old French entretenement; see entertain. Morphologically entertain + -ment.