actor

A1 Topic:People & Society

US /ˈæk.tɚ/ UK /ˈak.tə(ɹ)/ See IPA manual

Freq #2480

Meanings

1

noun
a person who performs in plays, films, or television

He is one of the most famous actors in the country.
2

noun
a person or group that takes part in a situation or action

Several major actors were involved in the peace talks.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a person who performs in... performer player

2 noun · a person or group that... participant agent

Opposites

undergoer

Word family

Forms actors

Derived forms actor-proofactoressactorficactorialactorineactorishactorismactorlikeactorlyactornautactornessactorship

Related forms act acting action actressactrixactual transaction

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti Proto-Italic *agō Latin agō Latin āctus Proto-Indo-European *-tōr Proto-Italic *-tōr Latin -tor Latin āctorbor. Middle English actour English actor Inherited from Middle English actour, from Anglo-Norman actor, Middle French actor, and their source, Latin āctor (“doer”), from agō (“to do”). Equivalent to act + -or. Cognate with Ancient Greek ἄκτωρ (áktōr, “leader”), from ἄγω (ágō, “lead, carry, convey, bring”).

*h₂eǵ- Proto-Indo-European actour Middle English actor Middle French āctor Latin

View etymology graph ->

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# actor

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈæk.tɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈak.tə(ɹ)/
**Frequency rank:** 2480

## Meanings
1. a person who performs in plays, films, or television
2. a person or group that takes part in a situation or action

## Examples
- He is one of the most famous actors in the country.
- Several major actors were involved in the peace talks.

## Antonyms
- undergoer

## Derived Forms
- actor-proof
- actoress
- actorfic
- actorial
- actorine
- actorish
- actorism
- actorlike
- actorly
- actornaut
- actorness
- actorship

## Related Forms
- act
- acting
- action
- actress
- actrix
- actual
- transaction

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *h₂eǵ-
- Root: actour
- Root: actor
- Root: āctor
- Affix: -or - one who

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti Proto-Italic *agō Latin agō Latin āctus Proto-Indo-European *-tōr Proto-Italic *-tōr Latin -tor Latin āctorbor. Middle English actour English actor Inherited from Middle English actour, from Anglo-Norman actor, Middle French actor, and their source, Latin āctor (“doer”), from agō (“to do”). Equivalent to act + -or. Cognate with Ancient Greek ἄκτωρ (áktōr, “leader”), from ἄγω (ágō, “lead, carry, convey, bring”).

## AI Etymology
Actor is inherited from Middle English actour, from Anglo-Norman actor, Middle French actor, and their source, Latin āctor (“doer”), from agō (“to do”). Equivalent to act plus -or. Cognate with Ancient Greek ἄκτωρ (áktōr, “leader”), from ἄγω (ágō, “lead, carry, convey, bring”). The historical line also includes Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ-. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern nominal form is built from the named base and affix.

## Topics
- People & Society

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actor

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