Cameoist
/ˈkæm.i.oʊ.ɪst/noun
A person who makes or engraves cameos.
Did you know?The deeper origin of *cameo* is disputed, but medieval traditions treated engraved gems as protective objects carrying sacred images, symbols, or occult power.
Etymological Timeline
Antiquity
Greek/Latin
kammaios / camaeus
“A term associated with engraved or layered stones; the precise origin is uncertain.”
9th–12th Century
Arabic/Medieval Latin
qāmā’il / camaeus
“Forms proposed by scholars as possible sources for the gemstone term, though the connection remains debated.”
14th Century
Old French
camee
“An engraved gemstone or ornamental relief carved in contrasting layers.”
16th Century
Italian
cammeo
“A cameo, especially a carved gem or shell ornament.”
18th–19th Century
English
cameoist
“A maker or engraver of cameos, formed from cameo plus the agent suffix -ist.”
Modern English
English
cameoist
“A specialist who creates cameo carvings.”