# Master of ceremonies
A master of ceremonies (MC) is the person who introduces guests, speakers, and performers at a formal occasion and keeps the event's program running in the intended order[1](https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/master-of-ceremonies). At events such as formal dinners, award ceremonies, and variety shows, the master of ceremonies introduces the speakers or performers and announces what is going to happen next[2](https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/master-of-ceremonies). The abbreviation is MC; the word "emcee" is its spelled-out pronunciation, and [British English](https://www.edgepedia.org/british-english) also uses "compère"[3](https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/master-of-ceremonies).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Definition | A person who introduces guests or people providing entertainment at a formal occasion; plural "masters of ceremonies", abbreviation MC[1](https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/master-of-ceremonies) |
| Synonyms | compère (UK), host, and emcee (mainly US)[3](https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/master-of-ceremonies) |
| Word history | The noun phrase "master of ceremonies" is attested from the 1660s; the abbreviation M.C. dates to 1790[4](https://www.etymonline.com/word/emcee) |
| "Emcee" as a word | First recorded as a noun in 1933, from the pronunciation of M.C.; as a verb, M.C. is attested by 1938[4](https://www.etymonline.com/word/emcee) • [5](https://www.dictionary.com/browse/master-of-ceremonies?q=master+of+ceremonies) |
| Scope of the role | Introduces speakers or performers, announces the program, and manages transitions and timing across the whole event[2](https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/master-of-ceremonies) • [6](https://www.doolecommunications.com/moderator-facilitator-master-ceremonies-difference/) |
| Distinct from | A moderator, who guides a discussion or panel, and a facilitator, who manages a group process[6](https://www.doolecommunications.com/moderator-facilitator-master-ceremonies-difference/) |
## What the role covers
In its everyday sense, the master of ceremonies directs the entertainment at a party, dinner, nightclub, or radio or television broadcast, acting as host and introducing the speakers or performers[5](https://www.dictionary.com/browse/master-of-ceremonies?q=master+of+ceremonies). An American dictionary sense also describes the role more broadly as supervising a ceremony[2](https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/master-of-ceremonies).
In practice the job extends beyond introductions. Event-industry guidance describes the MC as responsible for the whole event as it unrolls on the day: welcoming the audience, framing each segment, managing handoffs between speakers, absorbing small delays, communicating approved changes, and closing the program clearly[6](https://www.doolecommunications.com/moderator-facilitator-master-ceremonies-difference/) • [7](https://edukatesg.com/2026/08/30/how-events-work-the-host-how-one-person-holds-the-audience-and-programme-together/). The host, in this account, is the audience-facing output layer of a larger event machine, receiving a selected slice of information, what happens next, which names must be correct, and which changes are approved, while the event manager handles vendors, budgets, and operations[7](https://edukatesg.com/2026/08/30/how-events-work-the-host-how-one-person-holds-the-audience-and-programme-together/).
## Preparation and technique
Writing for Toastmaster magazine, the emcee and professional speaker Gilda Bonanno describes the role as ranging from reading a few speaker introductions to writing remarks for all speakers, and advises confirming the exact responsibilities with the meeting organizer in advance[8](https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/articles/when-you-are-the-emcee).
Recommended practices from the same source include preparing speakers several months or weeks ahead with the theme, audience size, time limits, and stage logistics; requesting copies of speakers' remarks a few days beforehand; keeping introductions short, relevant, and written in advance rather than improvised; and learning every speaker's name, including middle initials and hyphenated surnames, with the correct pronunciation written out phonetically and practiced aloud[8](https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/articles/when-you-are-the-emcee). The costs of getting a name wrong are public: at the 2014 Academy Awards ceremony, [John Travolta](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-travolta) called [Idina Menzel](https://www.edgepedia.org/idina-menzel) "Adele Dazeem" and was still being lampooned for it at the following year's Oscars[8](https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/articles/when-you-are-the-emcee).
Names and timing are the two recurring failure points: Bonanno notes that opening remarks set the tone because the emcee is usually the first person to speak, and that ad-libbed jokes during introductions can prove disastrous[8](https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/articles/when-you-are-the-emcee). In Toastmasters club meetings, the corresponding role, Toastmaster of the Day, manages the meeting against the agenda and draws on four personas the organization identifies: the Event Planner, the Tour Guide, the Engaging Emcee, and the Efficient Administrator[9](https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2020/sept/toastmaster-of-the-day).
## Related roles and how they differ
The terms around the MC are often confused. Claire Doole, who formerly served as a spokesperson for the BBC and the United Nations and now operates a communications training business, offers these working distinctions: a moderator steers the conversation, typically though not invariably within a panel; a master of ceremonies handles the show, meaning the entire event as it unfolds on the day; and a facilitator manages a process, supporting people in reaching decisions and producing results.[6](https://www.doolecommunications.com/moderator-facilitator-master-ceremonies-difference/) All three roles share a base of skills: neutrality, good listening, and clear, confident communication[6](https://www.doolecommunications.com/moderator-facilitator-master-ceremonies-difference/).
"Event host" is a looser term that sometimes describes the same function as an MC and sometimes a narrower one, a person brought in to welcome guests and keep energy up between activities without owning the program or having authority to make live adjustments to it[10](https://www.miriromoments.com/blog/master-of-ceremonies-vs-event-host-in-zimbabwe). Polish event-industry usage makes a comparable three-way split: the moderator leads substantive discussion and expert panels, the konferansjer announces gala program points and builds atmosphere, and the MC, an English-language term, ties the whole event agenda into a coherent whole[11](https://meetplace.pl/blog/moderator-konferansjer-mc-roznice).
## MCs in virtual and hybrid events
Virtual events assign the emcee a defined place in the crew. [Simon Fraser University](https://www.edgepedia.org/simon-fraser-university)'s events toolkit assigns the emcee to welcome guests, cover announcements and housekeeping rules, and introduce presenters and panelists, and in Zoom to be assigned as a "Panelist" or "Co-host", distinct from the A/V Lead who runs the technical show and the Q&A/Chat Moderator who monitors questions[12](https://www.sfu.ca/ceremonies/toolkit/planning/virtualevents.html).
Hybrid events, which combine in-person and virtual elements, add a further demand: the emcee must engage two distinct audiences simultaneously. Recommended techniques include using live polls, Q&A sessions, and real-time feedback from both groups so that remote and physical participants experience a unified event[13](https://realise.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Behind-the-Mic-A-Definitive-Guide-to-On-Stage-Roles-and-Competencies-at-Events.pdf).
## Liturgical use
The title also has a formal ecclesiastical sense. In liturgical use, the master of ceremonies is responsible for instructing the ministers before liturgical functions and directing them during the functions; the origins of this role are traced to the deacons whom early church documents portray as quasi-masters of ceremonies[14](https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/master-ceremonies).
## References
1. [Master of ceremonies noun, Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary](https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/master-of-ceremonies)
2. [Master of ceremonies, Collins English Dictionary](https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/master-of-ceremonies)
3. [Master of ceremonies, Cambridge English Dictionary](https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/master-of-ceremonies)
4. [Etymology of emcee, Online Etymology Dictionary](https://www.etymonline.com/word/emcee)
5. [Master of ceremonies Definition & Meaning, Dictionary.com](https://www.dictionary.com/browse/master-of-ceremonies?q=master+of+ceremonies)
6. [Moderator, Facilitator and Master of Ceremonies: What is the Difference? Claire Doole Communications](https://www.doolecommunications.com/moderator-facilitator-master-ceremonies-difference/)
7. [How Events Work: The Host, eduKateSG](https://edukatesg.com/2026/08/30/how-events-work-the-host-how-one-person-holds-the-audience-and-programme-together/)
8. [When You are the Emcee, Gilda Bonanno, Toastmaster magazine, October 2015](https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/articles/when-you-are-the-emcee)
9. [Are You Ready to Take On Toastmaster of the Day? Toastmaster magazine, September 2020](https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2020/sept/toastmaster-of-the-day)
10. [Master of Ceremonies vs Event Host in Zimbabwe: What's the Difference? Miriro Moments](https://www.miriromoments.com/blog/master-of-ceremonies-vs-event-host-in-zimbabwe)
11. [Moderator, konferansjer czy MC? meetplace.pl](https://meetplace.pl/blog/moderator-konferansjer-mc-roznice)
12. [Virtual Events, Simon Fraser University Ceremonies and Events](https://www.sfu.ca/ceremonies/toolkit/planning/virtualevents.html)
13. [Behind the Mic: A Definitive Guide to On-Stage Roles and Competencies at Events, Realise](https://realise.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Behind-the-Mic-A-Definitive-Guide-to-On-Stage-Roles-and-Competencies-at-Events.pdf)
14. [Master of Ceremonies, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/master-ceremonies)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Theater and dance › Stage practitioners and craft › Practitioners overview*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license