Thespian

American  

[thes-pee-uhn] / ˈθɛs pi ən /

adjective

1. (often lowercase) pertaining to tragedy or to the dramatic art in general.

2. of or characteristic of Thespis.

3. of or relating to Thespiae.

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noun

1. (sometimes lowercase) a tragedian; an actor or actress.

Thespian British  

/ ˈθɛspɪən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Thespis

2. (usually not capital) of or relating to drama and the theatre; dramatic

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noun

1. facetious an actor or actress

Etymology

Origin of Thespian

First recorded in 1665–75; Thespi(s) + -an

Explanation

Thespian is a fancy word for actor. Since this word is related to Thespis, the guy who first took the stage in Ancient Greece, you can feel real scholarly using the word thespian. As an adjective, you can use the word thespian to describe something that is related to drama. If you enjoy theater, you can say you enjoy thespian pursuits. Many high school drama clubs offer Thespian status to club members who earn a certain number of points by acting in shows or working on backstage tech for them. Note that the word thespian is sometimes capitalized because it is taken from a person's name.

Example Sentences

At the end of the video shoot, Marquardt is seen on the tape referencing an old “Saturday Night Live” routine featuring Jon Lovitz as Master Thespian, the comic’s portrayal of a pompous actor.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 16, 2025

Along the way in 2014, “totally just on a whim,” he co-founded a theater collective, Young Hot Thespian.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 6, 2022

In a way, it all comes down to the vaunted Thespian Brothers Conundrum.

From The Guardian • Jun. 8, 2017

This is the festival where Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader first demonstrated their Serious Thespian Skills in the family drama “The Skeleton Twins.”

From Washington Post • Jan. 24, 2016

His productions kept being selected for the Main Stage at the International Thespian Festival.

From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove