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In the 15th century, several amusing songs became popular across France. These songs were said to have been written by a man named Olivier Basselin who lived in the valley of the river Vire in northwest France. The songs eventually became known as chansons de vau-de-Vire, meaning "songs of the valley of Vire." Other people began writing and performing similar songs, and as this form of entertainment became more widespread, the link to vau-de-Vire was forgotten. The nickname was shortened to one word, vaudevire. As the phenomenon spread beyond France, further changes in pronunciation and spelling shifted vaudevire into vaudeville. The meaning also broadened to include humorous performances and variety shows.
Examples of vaudeville in a Sentence
Dan Walters, Mercury News, 11 June 2025
Televisions were still pricey gadgets, and the audience was small and urbane; nearly everything on the air was adapted from radio, theatre, and vaudeville.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
In 1921, when the Mainstreet Theatre opened at the corner of 14th & Main Streets, movies were just beginning to push vaudeville aside.
—Randy Mason, Kansas City Star, 14 May 2025
Even though this production of Gypsy stars not only a Black Mama Rose but also Black daughters—making this a show about a Black family seeking vaudeville fame in the 1930s—McDonald frequently points out that not a single line has been changed from the original show.
—Charlotte Alter, Time, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for vaudeville
Cite this Entry
“Vaudeville.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vaudeville. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
vaudeville
noun
ˈväd-
ˈvōd-
from French vaudeville "a humorous song or skit," derived from early French vaudevire "a song that makes fun of something," from chansons de vau de Vire "songs of the valley of Vire"
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