What does actress mean?
An actress is a woman who performs roles in plays, films, television programs, or other dramatic productions, portraying characters through speech, movement, and emotional expression. The word emerged in English in the early eighteenth century, formed by adding the feminine suffix '-ess' to 'actor', at a time when women were newly permitted to perform on the English stage. Today it remains a standard term, especially familiar from awards ceremonies such as the Academy Awards, which honor achievements in categories like Best Actress. In recent decades, however, many performers and media outlets have adopted the gender-neutral term 'actor' for people of any gender, making 'actress' somewhat less universal than it once was, though it is still entirely standard and carries no negative connotation. Common collocations include 'leading actress', 'award-winning actress', and 'best actress'. Related words such as 'action', 'active', and 'agent' share the same Latin root, agere, meaning 'to do' or 'to drive'.
nounA woman who acts in plays, films, television, or other performances; a female actor.
- A woman who performs roles in plays, films, or television.
"She won the award for best actress for her role in the independent film."
"The young actress made her Broadway debut at just nineteen."
"Many actresses now prefer to be described simply as actors."
Standard plural, formed by adding '-es' to the singular.
"The film features two talented actresses in its leading roles."
The word 'actress' was coined in the early 1700s — before that, women on the English stage were so rare that there simply wasn't a word for them.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of actress
The word 'actress' derives from the Latin verb agere, meaning 'to do, drive, or act', via the Latin participle actus and Old French 'acteur', which gave English 'actor' in the late Middle Ages. 'Actress' was formed in English in the early eighteenth century by adding the feminine suffix '-ess', coinciding with the period when women began performing regularly on the English stage. It shares its root with words such as 'action', 'active', 'agent', and 'activity', all ultimately tracing back to agere.
How actress is actually used
The term is neutral and widely used, though in contemporary usage many performers and publications favor the gender-neutral 'actor' for all performers, reserving 'actress' chiefly for awards categories and traditional contexts.