The word entertainment has a long history of usage in English. It is derived from the Medieval Latin intertenere, which means to “hold inside.” The prefix inter suggests that it must be something that must remain in or within one’s control; the suffix ten reflects the Indo-European root of the word for stretch.
According to Bates and Ferri (2010), entertainment can be defined as an activity understood objectively, a communication between text and audience, from an external stimulus that offers pleasure, requires an audience and occurs in a passive form. Despite these definitions, what is considered entertaining by some may not be for others, as one’s personal pleasure or diversion is unique.