actress

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From actor +‎ -ess.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA: /ˈaktɹəs/, /ˈaktɹɪs/
  • (US) IPA: /ˈæktɹəs/

Noun

actress (plural actresses)

  1. (now rare) A female doer or "actor" (in a general sense). [from 16th c.]
    • 1796, Matthew Lewis, The Monk, Folio Society 1985, p. 290:
      My mental anguish, and the dreadful scenes in which I had been an actress, advanced the period of my labour.
  2. A female actor on the stage or in films. [from 17th c.]
    • 2011, "Not going quietly", The Economist, 27 Jan 2011:
      Court documents appear to show that Ian Edmondson, a senior News of the World journalist, had authorised Mr Mulcaire to hack phones belonging to Sienna Miller, an actress.

Usage notes

  • Actor may also be used to refer to a female player.

Translations

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Last modified on 1 April 2013, at 05:46