Shadow Theatre
/ˈʃæd.oʊ ˌθiː.ə.tər/noun
A performance in which opaque figures or objects create moving silhouettes on a lit screen.
Did you know?Shadow theatre has ancient roots in Asia, and later European writers sometimes associated projected images with magic, necromancy, and supernatural illusion.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*skēd-
“To split, separate, or divide; a proposed root connected with the Germanic shadow-word family.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*skadwō
“Shade, shadow, or a darkened area.”
Old English
Old English
sceadu
“Shadow, shade, or darkness cast by an object.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
θέατρον (theatron)
“A place for viewing; an audience space for performances.”
Middle English
Middle English
schadow
“A shadow, shaded form, or figurative image.”
14th Century
English
theatre
“A place or building for dramatic performances, borrowed through Old French from Latin and Greek.”
Modern English
English
shadow theatre
“A staged performance using silhouettes, light, and a screen.”