commedia dell'arte Syllabification: (com·me·dia dell'ar·te)Pronunciation: /kəˈmādēə dəl ˈärtē/Definition of commedia dell'arte noun an improvised kind of popular comedy in Italian theaters in the 16th-18th centuries, based on stock characters. Actors adapted their comic dialogue and action according to a few basic plots (commonly love intrigues) and to topical issues. Origin:Italian, 'comedy of art'commedia dell'arte in other Oxford dictionaries Definition of commedia dell'arte in the British & World English dictionary
