The Meaning Of Entertaiment

Anything affording pleasure, diversion, or amusement. A theatrical performance, for example, is entertainment. So is playing a game of chess or solving the daily crossword puzzle. The etymology of entertainment is from the late 15c. sense of “to maintain, keep up” (in a state or frame of mind), from entre- (into) + tenir (“to hold”), from Latin tenere, from PIE root *ten- (“to stretch”). The suffix -ment has become common with verb stems in English (as in amazement, betterment, and merriment).

The modern concept of entertainment is broad and flexible, ranging from individual private amusements to elaborate banquets and parties; from personal amusements such as video games or reading to social backstabbing or murders; from cultural festivals or religious ceremonies to political satire and propaganda. It can be a way of life for many, whereas for others it may be a mere pastime. It often hits the points that the brain was evolved to deeply react to, such as sexual excitement or social backstabbing.