An actor or performer who shows off or overacts; someone who seeks attention through theatrical behavior or cheap tricks.
From French cabotin, of uncertain origin, possibly from Italian 'capo' (head) or from 'cabotage' (coastal trade). Came to mean a showy performer.
French theater critics needed a word for actors who were all flash and no substance—'cabotin' became their delicious insult for anyone prioritizing spectacle over sincerity!
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