People whose job is to perform and amuse audiences, such as actors, musicians, comedians, or dancers.
From Old French 'entretenir' (entre- 'between' + tenir 'to hold'). Originally meant 'to keep together in conversation' but evolved to mean keeping an audience's attention and interest through performance.
The oldest entertainers were bards and storytellers 3,000 years ago, but human brains are literally wired to pay attention to entertainment—it's why we spend so much time and money on it; it feels like a survival need!
Historically, entertainment professions (especially music, dance, theater) were gateways for women to access income and autonomy outside marriage, but faced stigma and reduced credibility compared to male peers
Use when describing professionals; avoid 'entertainer' alone as dismissive shorthand, prefer 'performer,' 'artist,' or specific role (musician, dancer, actor)
["performer","artist","musician","dancer","actor","professional"]
Many women entertainers (Sarah Bernhardt, Josephine Baker, Ella Fitzgerald) became cultural icons and financial powerhouses despite systemic barriers; their work was radical self-determination
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