About Entertaiment
The word entertain is derived from the medieval Latin verb entretenere, meaning “to hold inside”; from the Indo-European root ten, which means “stretch.” It may be applied to a wide variety of activities, including play (important for children’s development); social interaction (such as with pets or group games); or even work such as solving a crossword puzzle. Despite its association with amusement, entertainment can have serious purposes, such as in the case of a religious festival or political satire.
In modern times, entertainment has come to encompass an enormous array of products ranging from individual choice of pre-recorded entertainments available on a vast array of media to elaborate performances for thousands of people. Many forms of entertainment are specialized and intended for particular audiences or ages, with children’s entertainment often centred on play which mimics adult activities or prepares them for responsibilities such as child rearing.