pantomimusn.

1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie i. xi. 21 Betweene the actes when the players went to make ready for another,..and the people waxt weary, then came in these maner of conterfaite vices, they were called Pantomimi, and all that had before bene sayd,..they gaue a crosse construction to it very ridiculously.

1626 F. Bacon Sylua Syluarum §240 There be certaine Pantomimi, that will represent the voices of Players of Enterludes.

1630 B. Jonson Loves Triumph through Callipolis 31 With anticke gesticulation, and action, after the manner of the old Pantomimi, they dance ouer a distracted comœdy of Loue.

1698 J. Collier Short View Immorality Eng. Stage vi. 277 Has the English Stage any Thing so bad as the Dancing of the Pantomimi?

1775 J. Adair Hist. Amer. Indians 424 There is not perhaps the like number of mimic mutes on the face of the earth, nor ever were among the old Greek or Roman Pantomimi, as with the Indian Americans.

1869 W. H. Davenport Adams Queen of Adriatic ii. i. 208 These mimes were the natural offspring of the Roman pantomimi.

1912 H. S. Jones Compan. Rom. Hist. vii. 377 The mask worn by the pantomimus, which differed from that of tragedy by the greater regularity and naturalism of its features, was often changed during the piece.

1999 Observer Rev. 12 Dec. 1/2 The pantomimus and the harlequin were kindred spirits.