Entertaiment is an interesting concept, allowing for the creation of all manner of art, from the private entertainment of an individual listening to music downloaded from the Internet or shared via online file sharing with friends; to a banquet adapted to entertain two; to performances intended for thousands. What is entertaining for one person or group may be a form of work for another, and many forms of entertainment can take on serious meanings as they develop into ritualized performance for ceremonies, religious festivals or satire for example.

The origin of the word “entertain” is rooted in the Medieval Latin intertenere, and its Indo-European root is ten, meaning to stretch or hold.