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Glite Dictionary
one-acter

one-acter

8.3
A short play that has only one act
  • noun
  • /ˈwʌnˌæktər/
translation icon : obra de un acto
  • She wrote a one-acter that won her first prize in the playwriting contest.

Examples

  • The drama club decided to perform a one-acter for the school's spring festival.

  • We enjoyed several funny one-acters during the evening showcase.

  • The theater showcased a brilliant one-acter last night.

  • She prefers to write one-acters because they are concise.

  • The theater's latest production features two original one-acters that showcase exceptional talent.

  • At the festival, many audiences were captivated by a series of short one-acters performed by emerging playwrights.

  • She wrote a charming one-acter that captured the essence of a warm summer evening.

Synonyms

one-act play
vsone-acter
3 3.9

A short play with only one act

is the single-act term for the same short drama
playlet
vsone-acter
1 8.0

A short acted scene often performed during a larger show

is used for short single-act dramas rather than mixed-program pieces

How Long

full-length
28 3.4
one-acter
8.3
sketch
150 2.5

Surface Forms

one-acter singular
one-acters plural

Morphology

one-acter = one-act (transparent) = one + act + er

Formed from 'one-act' (having a single act) with the agent/nominalizing '-er' to mean a play characterized by one act; the composition is straightforward.

Etymology

One-acter comes from one ('single') + act ('a part of a play'), with the ending -er used to make a name for the thing. So a one-acter is simply a short play that has just one act, which is why it is shorter than a full-length play.