actress
- 01 A1 Beginner
a woman who acts in a movie, play, or television show.
a female person who portrays a character in a theatrical, cinematic, or televised production.
Simple“The lead actress received a standing ovation for her performance in the play.”
In context“The young actress spent months researching the historical figure she was to portray in the upcoming biographical drama.”
UsageIn modern professional contexts, 'actor' is often used for all genders, but 'actress' is still standard in casual speech and award categories.
Teacher's tipNote that many performers now prefer the gender-neutral 'actor'. However, 'actress' is not considered offensive and is still the dominant term in many contexts.
From actor + -ess. Probably formed independently of Middle French actrice.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.