From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcameocam‧e‧o /ˈkæmi-əʊ $ -oʊ/ noun (plural cameos) [countable] 1 AMFa short appearance in a film or play by a well-known actorcameo role/appearance2 a short appearance in a game of sport by a player3 DCBa small piece of jewellery with a raised shape, usually a person’s face, on a flat background of a different colour a cameo brooch4 TCNALa short piece of writing that gives a clear idea of a person, place, or event
Examples from the Corpus
cameo• Iggy Pop has a cameo as a bordello patron named Rat Face.• Danny DeVito made a cameo appearance as a lawyer.• Joanna had hoped to play a cameo role ... but pressure of time meant she couldn't.• But he doesn't want to play a cameo.• In my time a cameo set in pearls was thought sufficient.• Little cameos come to mind: The glorious greens of the rolling countryside in the slanting rays of the evening sun.• His looming cameo proclaims sweet innocence, and through the next two-hours we will endure several sightings of his ghost.• From rings she went on to study and catalogue collections of cameos and other jewels from antiquity to the present.cameo role/appearance• Dave did make a cameo appearance in his kayak to run it but quickly reverted back to the raft.• Running back Terry Kirby made only a cameo appearance.• Joanna had hoped to play a cameo role ... but pressure of time meant she couldn't.• The villainous Darth Vader also plays a cameo role.• Numerous cartoon stars make cameo appearances and Kathleen Turner is the voice of Jessica Rabbit.• Rumours suggesting that Shane MacGowan is likely to make cameo appearances could not be confirmed.• Today he is more of a celebrity than an actor, making cameo appearances, commercials and turning up at premières.• Wilson makes a memorable cameo appearance showing some serious cleavage as a cocktail waitress who attempts to seduce Guy.Origin cameo (1400-1500) Italian 