Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
playactor

playactor

9.2
A travelling actor who performs plays in different towns
  • noun
  • /ˈpleɪˌæktər/
  • Archaic
translation icon : actor itinerante
  • The young playactor captivated the crowd with his lively portrayal of the famous character.

Examples

  • The traveling playactor entertained audiences in small towns across the country.

  • Aren't you the little playactor?

    The Public Enemy (1931)

  • As a playactor, she spent her summer performing in parks and local festivals.

Synonyms

actor
vsplayactor
∞ 1.0

A person who acts in plays, films, or television

is narrower, stressing travel to different towns or regions
player
vsplayactor
  • Archaic
36 2.2

A person who acts on stage in theatre shows

is more specific by adding travel between towns or regions
thespian
vsplayactor
16 7.6

A person who acts in plays on stage

is focused on travelling between towns to present plays
trouper
vsplayactor
1 8.1

A performer who travels with a company to perform shows in different places

is an individual traveller rather than primarily a company member
role player
vsplayactor
1 3.3

A person who plays a part in a play, movie, or show

emphasizes travel and touring rather than just performing roles
play-actor
vsplayactor
  • Archaic
7.2

An actor who travels to different towns to act in plays

is the same meaning but written without a hyphen
barnstormer
vsplayactor
  • Archaic
9.6

A person who travels to small towns to perform plays

travels similarly but is not limited to rural locations

How Mobile

itinerant
1 8.0
playactor
  • Archaic
9.2
resident
∞ 1.8

Surface Forms

playactor singular
playactors plural

Morphology

playactor = play + actor (semi-transparent) = play + actor

The compound is clearly 'play' + 'actor' meaning an actor involved in plays, but the specialized sense 'travelling performer' cannot be fully derived from the components alone.

Etymology

Playactor joins play and actor to make a clear picture: an actor who 'performs plays' while moving from place to place. That's why a playactor means an actor who travels to different towns to give shows.