actor
1 Americannoun
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a person who acts in stage plays, motion pictures, television broadcasts, etc.
-
a person who does something; participant.
noun
noun
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a person who acts in a play, film, broadcast, etc
-
informal a person who puts on a false manner in order to deceive others (often in the phrase bad actor )
Usage
The term actor is almost universally used nowadays to refer to people of either gender who act
Other Word Forms
- nonactor noun
Etymology
Origin of actor
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin āctor, equivalent to āg- ( act ) + -tor -tor
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
If there wasn’t a TV show or movie in production—or, if no actor was seen—the tour could be a bit of a letdown.
Thirty years ago, I was vacationing at the Manele Bay Resort in Lanai, Hawaii, when my wife noticed an actor seated near us.
Who is bellowing “I am an actor” at the top of their lungs this morning?
From Los Angeles Times
A celebrated director and comedic actor, Rob Reiner was known for his work on iconic films, including “When Harry Met Sally ... ,” “Stand By Me” and “This Is Spinal Tap.”
From Los Angeles Times
They are the first major roles for both actors, and the show has swiftly made them among the hottest properties in the industry.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
