About
Entertaiment is the act of entertaining; an agreeable diversion; amusement: A visit to the circus was entertainment for the children.
From the Old French entretenir (to hold together) and associated with hospitality, the idea of entertaining a guest or stranger developed into the sense of providing amusement, distraction, or pleasure. Entertainment can be a performance in any medium, from the clown at a birthday party to Shakespeare on stage; from a stadium rock concert to your friends fighting over the last potato chip.
You may see entertainment abbreviated to entmt on a flier or in industry news publications when space is limited. The word is also often used in reference to business as a means of providing consumer entertainment and amusement.