stage whisper

American  

noun

1. a loud whisper on a stage, meant to be heard by the audience.

2. any whisper loud enough to be overheard.

---

stage whisper British  

noun

1. a loud whisper from one actor to another onstage intended to be heard by the audience

2. any loud whisper that is intended to be overheard

---

stage whisper Idioms  

1. A whisper loud enough to be overheard, as in Our three-year-old behaved beautifully at the ceremony, but then he asked in a stage whisper, “Why does that lady have blue hair?” This expression alludes to an actor's whisper on stage, which is meant to be heard by the audience. [Mid-1800s]

---

Etymology

Origin of stage whisper

First recorded in 1860–65