actor

¹

[ ak-ter ]

noun

1. a person who acts in stage plays, motion pictures, television broadcasts, etc.
2. a person who does something; participant.

Actor

²

[ ak-ter ]

noun

, Classical Mythology.

1. a brother of King Augeas, sometimes believed to be the father, by Molione, of Eurytus and Cteatus.

actor

/ ˈæktə /

noun

1. a person who acts in a play, film, broadcast, etc
2. 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 Words From

• non·actor noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of actor¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin āctor, equivalent to āg- ( act ) + -tor -tor

Example Sentences

Perhaps more than an actor raised outside of Belfast, Petticrew was able to understand on a visceral level what compelled Dolours to commit acts of terrorism.

From Los Angeles Times

“Your job as an actor is to understand all of the actions and not necessarily agree or disagree with them. That’s for the audience to decide, and that will change as the series goes on. You’re meant to sometimes agree with them and sometimes not. And I think that’s really beautiful.”

From Los Angeles Times

The singer, songwriter and actor had long played by his own rules as a bachelor and a fiercely independent artist.

From Los Angeles Times

Recent visitors have included Michelle Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas, John Doe and Exene Cervenka of the band X and actor William Shatner.

From Los Angeles Times

“That sequence was killer funny,” says Danson, who watched the picture with his wife, actor Mary Steenburgen.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• artist
• character
• clown
• comedian
• entertainer
• performer
• player
• star
• villain