The word entertaiment has a rich, varied history of association with different forms of artistic expression. Many of these forms are interrelated and have the capacity to cross over different media, making them familiar and readily recognizable across time and space. This has largely contributed to the longevity and broad appeal of many entertainments. The word entertaiment derives from the Medieval Latin intertenere, which means “to hold inside.” The prefix inter means ‘inside,’ and the suffix -tenere is related to the Indo-European root ten, meaning’stretch.’
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