entertainment
UK[ˌen.təˈteɪn.mənt]US[ˌen.t̬ɚˈteɪn.mənt]
n
the act of providing amusement or enjoyment for people.
n
a performance, show, game, or other activity designed to amuse an audience.
Morpheme Breakdown
enter
tain
ment
enter
among
tain
hold
ment
noun suffix
Etymology
the word 'entertainment' originates from the old french 'entretenir', meaning to hold together or maintain. this verb was formed from the latin elements 'inter-' (among) and 'tenere' (to hold), conveying the idea of holding someone's attention among other things. the suffix '-ment', of latin origin, was added to form a noun denoting the action or result. thus, the literal sense of "holding (the mind) among (pleasant things)" evolved into the modern abstract meaning of providing amusement or diversion.
Analysis
Structure: enter (among) + tain (hold) + ment (noun suffix)
enter (from latin 'inter', meaning among, between), tain (from latin 'tenere', meaning to hold), ment (from latin '-mentum', a suffix forming nouns indicating an action or resulting state).
Examples
the city offers a wide variety of entertainment, from theaters to live music venues.
he works in the entertainment industry as a film producer.
reading is her favorite form of quiet entertainment.