† ācrŏāmă, ătis, n., = ἀκρόαμα.
Prop., that which is heard with pleasure, a gratification to the ear; as music or reading; esp. used for entertainment at meals, with music or reading, Plin. Ep. 6, 31, 13; Suet. Vesp. 19; Petron. Fragm. Tragun. p. 297.
Hence, meton. (like the plur. in Greek), the entertainer at table, by music (a performer) or by reading (a reader); also a buffoon: cum ex Themistocle quaererctur, quod acroama aut cujus vocem lubentissime audiret, Cic. Arch. 9: nemo in convivio ejus (Attici) aliud acroama audivit, quam anagnosten, id. Att. 14, 1: non solum spectator, sed actor et acroama, Cic. Sest. 54: festivum, id. Verr. 2, 4, 22. Cf. Smith’s Antiq., and Becker’s Gall. 3, p. 203 (2d ed.).