kabuki /kəˈbuːkiː/ noun2 •A form of Japanese theatre in which elaborately costumed male performers use stylized movements, dances, and songs in order to enact tragedies and comedies.Ichikawa, whose real name is Takahiko Kinoshi, made his kabuki debut in 1980 and went on to become one of the country’s most renowned performers. — 2023 •(US, figurative) A stylized, pretentious, and often hollow performance; (especially) political posturing.The whole "weapons of mass destruction" concern was phony from the start, and the drama about inspections was just kabuki: going through the motions. — 2005
