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actor definition

ac·tor (ak′tər)

noun

  1. a person who does something or participates in something
  2. a person, often, specif., a man, who acts in plays, movies, etc.

Etymology: ME actour, a doer, steward, plaintiff < L actor, a doer, advocate < actus: see act

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

actor Synonyms

actor

n.

  1. A theatrical performer

    player, performer, star, character, comedian, tragedian, member of the cast, thespian, leading man, leading woman, leading lady, lead, entertainer, artist, movie star, film star, television star, character actor, character actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, featured player, costar, superstar, principal, protagonist, deuteragonist, hero, heroine, villain, antihero, bad guy, juvenile, ingénue, soubrette, motion picture actor, stage actor, trouper, impersonator, mimic, mime, clown, comic, ventriloquist, pantomimist, monologist, performance artist, mummer, masker, heavy lead, heavy, romantic lead, matinee idol, theatrical performer, dramatic artist, artiste, headliner, understudy, stand-in, personator, histrio (Latin), extra, bit player, walk-on, supernumerary, spear carrier*, ham*, straight man*, straight person, barnstormer, gallery player, scene stealer, punchinello*, harlequin*, farceur (French), vaudevillian*, song and dance man, top banana*, second banana; see also actress, cast 2.

  2. A person who does or participates in something

    participant, doer, performer; see doer, participant.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

actor Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • cast: It's great when you only have to, like, cast good actors, for a director that's perfect.

Converse of subject

  • portray: As brilliantly portrayed by veteran actor George Cole, the man was, of course, Arthur Daley.

Adjective modifier

  • non-state: The challenge, however, comes not only from non-state actors.

Modifies a noun

  • adolph: Have folded except of actor adolph a letter from.

Noun used with modifier

  • heartthrob: But the heartthrob actor refused to meet anyone he didn't know and insisted on sitting in his own VIP area all evening.

Preposition: in

  • costume: Single actors in costume or up to thirty characters can be provided.
actor usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

actor quotes

An actor is a kind of guy who if you ain't talking about him ain't listening.

-Brando, Marlon

Every actor has a natural animosity toward every other actor, present or absent, living or dead.

-Brooks, Louise

The better the actor the more stupid he is.

-Capote,Truman

actor quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"actor." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/actor>

APA Style

actor. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/actor

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