actor
noun
a person who acts in stage plays, motion pictures, television broadcasts, etc.
actor
1 American
[ak-ter]
/ ˈæk tər /
noun
-
actors
plural
-
a person who acts in stage plays, motion pictures, television broadcasts, etc.
-
a person who does something; participant.
Actor
2
American
[ak-ter]
/ ˈæk tər /
noun
Classical Mythology.
actor
British
/ ˈæktə /
noun
-
a person who acts in a play, film, broadcast, etc
-
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 Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of actor
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin āctor, equivalent to āg- ( see act) + -tor -tor
Explanation
If you act in a play, whether it's written by Shakespeare or your little brother, you can call yourself an actor. Some actors make films, and others are on TV. Traditionally, the noun actor referred to a male performer, while actress was used to describe a female. These days, it's become more common to use actor for players of any gender. You can also use the word to describe someone who participates in some action, or makes things happen in a particular area: "She was a real actor in the labor movement." In Latin, actor means both "doer" and "theatrical player."
Vocabulary lists containing actor
Academy Awards, List 3
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Just Do It: Act
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Literary Terms, Part I
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Diane Morgan, the actor who plays know-nothing TV pundit Philomena Cunk, explains how series like ‘Cunk on Life,’ premiering on Netflix Thursday, come together.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 15, 2026
Gavin and Stacey star Jones shared her sheer delight in an Instagram video, with the actor looked visibly stunned following the incredible win over New Zealand.
From BBC ● Nov. 15, 2026
The film is based on the real-life experience of director Liz Sargent, who cast her sister Anna Sargent in the lead role as a newcomer actor.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 13, 2026
Scrooge could be the perfect part for an actor trying to restore his image following his legal battles with ex-wife and actress Amber Heard.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 13, 2026
But the actor who played him looked like a normal guy.
From "A Monster of a Mystery (The Hardy Boys: Secret Files, #5)" by Franklin W. Dixon
In fact, all three nominees in the Best Actor category are from the film - including Scott.
From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2026
Actor Irma P. Hall, the former educator who pivoted to acting in her late 30s to star in films including “Soul Food,” “The Ladykillers” and “Meet the Browns,” has died.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 2026
Actor Justin Baldoni discreetly offloaded his former Los Angeles home months after relocating to Nashville, Tenn., for a “fresh start.”
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 10, 2026
Appeared in the October 30, 2026, print edition as 'Shakespearean Actor Found Universal Fame With ‘Star Trek’'.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
Then he opened the envelope slowly, like he was at the Academy Awards announcing the Best Actor category.
From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon
And the bad actors are often known to the victim: caretakers, friends, neighbors and, yes, even relatives and adult children.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 14, 2026
As far as actors writing their own tickets, I’m more of a “Good Will Hunting” guy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2026
There he meets Vera Denisova, the daughter of an aristocratic family of actors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 13, 2026
Elsewhere in the show, actors Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and the stars of Dune: Part 3 pranked presenter Rylan Clark with the help of some hysterical youngsters.
From BBC ● Nov. 13, 2026
There was also a two-page spread of Hollywood actors modeling Bermuda shorts.
From Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm
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