Kabuki
/kəˈbuːki/noun
A traditional Japanese theater form known for stylized acting, elaborate costumes, makeup, and music.
Did you know?The word is linked to kabukimono, flamboyantly dressed social outsiders whose unusual behavior helped inspire the theater’s rebellious image.
Etymological Timeline
Late 16th Century
Japanese
kabuku
“To lean, tilt, deviate, or behave unconventionally”
Late 16th–Early 17th Century
Japanese
kabukimono
“An unconventional or flamboyantly dressed person; a social nonconformist”
1603
Japanese
kabuki odori
“Kabuki dancing, associated with Izumo no Okuni’s performances in Kyoto”
17th Century
Japanese
kabuki
“A developing form of popular theatrical performance”
Modern English
English
kabuki
“A traditional Japanese theater genre, adopted as a loanword”
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