role

Rarely rôle

[rohl]

noun

1. a part or character played by an actor or actress.

2. proper or customary function.

   the role of religion in society.

   Synonyms: duty, responsibility, position, function, capacity, part, character

3. the function assumed by a person or thing in a given action or process.

   Schools offer few practical tools to help students explore their role in shaping the future.

4. Sociology.,  the rights, obligations, and expected behavior patterns associated with a particular social status.

   When studying child development, it was critical to study the father's role.

role

/ rəʊl /

noun

1. a part or character in a play, film, etc, to be played by an actor or actress

2. psychol the part played by a person in a particular social setting, influenced by his expectation of what is appropriate

3. usual or customary function

   what is his role in the organization?

Other Word Forms

• multirole adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of role¹

First recorded in 1600–10; from French rôle “roll (of paper containing the actor's part)”; roll

Word History and Origins

Origin of role¹

C17: from French rôle _roll , an actor's script

Example Sentences

Or even – as some are demanding – the resignation of Macron himself for his role in presiding over the impasse.

From BBC

So many corporations that were supporting these efforts recently have pulled back completely, and that’s created a challenging role for us as an organization.

From Los Angeles Times

Department of Justice, Boelter “had a list of possible targets,” and investigators have suggested that the suspect’s right-wing political views played a role in the attacks.

From Los Angeles Times

He said he made the remarks as a private citizen because he was concerned the new communications policy barred him from speaking to the media in his role as an oversight official.

From Los Angeles Times

Along with its subsidiary, Ticketmaster, Live Nation puts on concerts, sells tickets and owns venues, serving multiple roles that the Department of Justice said had turned it into a "gatekeeper" for the industry.

From BBC

Related Words

• act 
• appearance 
• aspect 
• character 
• part 
• performance 
• portrayal