actress

/'æktris/

Thân thiện

A young actress rehearses her lines on stage.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A female actor: A woman or girl whose profession is performing in plays, films, or television productions.

Usage

• The word "actress" is used specifically to refer to a female performer. While "actor" is increasingly used as a gender-neutral term, "actress" remains common, especially in contexts like award categories (e.g., Best Actress) or when specifying gender is relevant.
• It is typically followed by "in" to indicate the production (e.g., actress in a film) or "of" for a role (e.g., actress of the year).

Examples

• She is a talented actress known for her dramatic roles.
• The actress received a standing ovation for her performance in the play.
• Meryl Streep is an acclaimed actress with many awards.
• A young actress was cast as the lead in the new series.

Advanced Usage

• "Ingénue actress": Refers to a young actress, especially one playing innocent, wholesome roles.
  • Early in her career, she was typecast as an ingénue actress.
• "Character actress": An actress who specializes in playing unusual, eccentric, or distinctive supporting roles rather than leading roles.
  • She built a successful career as a renowned character actress.

Variants and Related Words

• Actor (n): A person who acts, now often used as a gender-neutral term. (e.g., )
• Acting (n): The art or occupation of performing in plays, films, etc. (e.g., )

Synonyms

• Performer: A person who entertains an audience.
• Thespian: A formal or literary term for an actor or actress.
• Player: An archaic or formal term for an actor, sometimes used in the context of theater (e.g., ).

Related Phrases

• "Leading actress": The actress playing the main female role in a production.
  • She was the leading actress in three consecutive films.
• "Supporting actress": An actress playing a secondary but important role.
  • She won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

Related Idioms

• "A prima donna": Originally referring to the leading female singer in an opera, it is often used metaphorically to describe an actress (or anyone) who is temperamental and demanding.
  • After her first big hit, she started behaving like a real prima donna.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a female actor