entertainment

Etymology

From Middle English entretenement (“support, maintenance”), from Old French entretenement; see entertain. Morphologically entertain + -ment

noun

1. An activity designed to give pleasure, enjoyment, diversion, amusement, or relaxation to an audience, no matter whether the audience participates passively as in watching opera or a movie, or actively as in games.
   The delinquents are generally the adventurous type, who have little use for reading and other non-active entertainment. 1957, William O. Douglas, Roth v. United States
2. A show put on for the enjoyment or amusement of others.
3. (obsolete) Maintenance or support.
   "This," said the matronly presence, ushering me into a low room on the right, "is where the Travellers sit by the fire, and cook what bits of suppers they buy with their fourpences." "O! Then they have no Entertainment?" said I. For the inscription over the outer door was still running in my head, and I was mentally repeating, in a kind of tune, "Lodging, entertainment, and fourpence each." 1854?, Charles Dickens, The Seven Poor Travellers
4. (obsolete) Admission into service; service.
   He must think us some band of strangers i' the adversary's entertainment. 1601-1608, William Shakespeare, All's Well That Ends Well
5. (obsolete) Payment of soldiers or servants; wages.
   The entertainment of the general upon his first arrival was but six shillings and eight pence. 1612, John Davies, Discoverie of the True Causes why Ireland was never entirely subdued
6. (obsolete) Reception; (provision of) food to guests or travellers.
   Tho’ they cut [the beef] into long Pieces, (like Ropes) with the Hide; and dress’d, and eat it half-roasted according to their Custom, and gave it me in the same Manner; yet I thought this contemptible Food, and what a Beggar in England would not have touch’d, the most delicious Entertainment I ever met with. 1743, Robert Drury, The Pleasant, and Surprizing Adventures of Mr. Robert Drury, during his Fifteen Years Captivity on the Island of Madagascar, London, page 61