A daring or spectacular feat performed for entertainment, publicity, or as part of a performance. Can also refer to something done to attract attention or as a publicity maneuver.
Originally meaning 'to check growth' from Old English 'stunt' meaning foolish or short. The modern sense of spectacular feat developed in early 20th-century America, possibly from the idea of something that 'stunts' normal expectations.
The word 'stunt' perfectly captures how attention-grabbing feats often involve doing something that seems to defy normal limitations - whether physical, social, or logical - making the ordinary seem 'stunted' by comparison.
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