Entertaiment is a word that describes a kind of activity or event that gives pleasure and amusement. It also includes a diverting occupation for the mind: doing crossword puzzles is an entertainment for many. It may also refer to a performance of some kind: the highlight of the ball was the entertainment. It is an abbreviation of the Middle English entretenement; from the Latin inter- and tenere, to hold inside.

Entertainment is an important aspect of the human life because it hits on many themes that our brains were evolved to understand deeply in order to navigate a social world. It often provokes deep emotions that make it interesting to study.