English Reference
noun

performer

n.
US /pɝˈfɔɹmɝ/ UK /pəfˈɔːmɐ/ per·former UK spelling performers

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate Theatre

    a person who entertains people by acting, singing, dancing, or playing music.

    an individual who performs for an audience in an artistic or entertainment capacity.

    Simple

    The street performer played the guitar while people walked past.

    In context

    The lead performer received a standing ovation for her nuanced portrayal of the tragic heroine in the final act.

    Usage

    Often used with modifiers like 'solo', 'live', or 'street'.

    spectatoraudience member
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    someone who does a job or task, especially when you are talking about how well they do it.

    a person or entity evaluated by the quality or efficiency of their work or functional output.

    Simple

    She is a top performer in the sales department and always meets her goals.

    In context

    The manager identified the high performers within the team to lead the new international project.

    Usage

    Commonly appears in professional contexts with adjectives like 'high', 'top', or 'poor'.

    workerachieveroperator

From perform + -er.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated