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Glite Dictionary
🎭 A stage booth 💬 A text field
prompt box

prompt box

8.6
A small box at the front of a stage where a person sits to help actors with their lines
  • noun
translation icon : caja de indicaciones
  • The actor glanced discreetly at the prompt box to check his next line.

Examples

  • In traditional theatres, the prompt box was placed just below the lip of the stage.

  • The actor glanced at the prompt box for his cue.

  • During rehearsals, the director often sat near the prompt box to give additional cues.

  • There are several prompt boxes on the stage.

  • During rehearsals, the director often sat near the prompt box to give actors additional cues.

  • In traditional theatres, the prompt box was positioned just below the stage's lip for better visibility.

  • The actor discreetly glanced at the prompt box to check his next line during the performance.

Synonyms

prompter's box
vsprompt box
8.4

A small box at the front of a stage where someone sits to give actors their lines

is a small projecting booth at the stage front that opens toward performers

Surface Forms

prompt box singular
prompt boxes plural

Morphology

prompt + box

The meaning is directly compositional: 'prompt' (a cue or suggestion) + 'box' (a container/field) yields a box that holds a prompt — i.e., a text-input field for entering a prompt. This is a domain-specific but predictable compound (similar to 'input box' or 'dialogue box' in other languages), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Prompt box comes from the theatre and is a small booth at the front of the stage where the prompter sat and gave actors a quick 'prompt' (a short reminder of a line), so the name links the prompt and the box.