title role

American  

noun

1. (in a play, opera, etc.) the role or character from which the title is derived.

   She sang the title role in Carmen.

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title role British  

noun

1. the role of the character after whom a play, etc, is named

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Etymology

Origin of title role

First recorded in 1885–90

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

title role

The title of the audio drama is a riff on Keith Waterhouse's play Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell, in which O'Toole played the title role of journalist Jeffrey Bernard to rave reviews in 1999.

From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2026

Perhaps his most celebrated performance was playing the title role in Charles Ludlam’s “Camille” at Highways Performance Space in 1993.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026

Season 3 of “Wednesday” is in production near Dublin, where Ortega is once again stepping into the title role while also serving as an executive producer on the series.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026

The title role was written for the trans singer Lucia Lucas, but her worn baritone made little of Mr. Picker’s vocal writing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

We were supposed to be doing Peter Pan for the winter musical, and I was basically dying to play the title role, but it was canceled too.

From "Better Nate Than Ever" by Tim Federle

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