What does comedienne mean?
A comedienne is a woman whose profession is making people laugh — whether through stand-up routines, comic acting, or improvised performance. The word is the feminine counterpart of "comedian," borrowed from the French "comédienne," which itself derives from the Latin "comoedia." For much of the twentieth century it was the standard way to refer to a female comic, appearing frequently in theater reviews and entertainment journalism. In recent decades, however, the term has fallen out of favor among both writers and performers, many of whom regard the separate feminine form as outdated and prefer that women be described simply as comedians. Nevertheless, "comedienne" persists in historical writing and in coverage of earlier generations of performers such as Lucille Ball and Joan Rivers. Its pronunciation carries a final stress on the last syllable, reflecting its French origins. Knowing the word remains useful for reading older texts and understanding how attitudes toward gendered occupational titles have shifted over time.
nounA woman who works as a comedian; a female entertainer who performs comedy.
- A woman whose profession or vocation is performing comedy, especially stand-up comedy or comic acting.
"The veteran comedienne brought the audience to tears of laughter within minutes."
"The young comedienne honed her craft at open-mic nights before landing her own television special."
"A celebrated comedienne of the silent-film era, she was renowned for her flawless physical timing."
Regular plural formed with -s; used when referring to multiple female comics, most often in retrospective or collective contexts.
"The documentary profiled several pioneering comediennes of the 1950s."
Once coined as a polite French-flavored label for women in comedy, "comedienne" is now often avoided altogether — many performers prefer simply being called comedians.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of comedienne
"Comedienne" was borrowed from the French "comédienne", the feminine form of "comédien" (comic actor), which traces back through the noun "comédie" to the Latin "comoedia" and ultimately the Greek "kōmōidia". The word entered English usage in the nineteenth century, when feminine forms of occupational titles were fashionable. Its Greek root combines "kōmos" (revelry) with "ōidē" (song), linking it etymologically to "comedy" and "comedic".
How comedienne is actually used
The term is somewhat dated and increasingly viewed as unnecessary gendering; many contemporary usage guides and performers prefer the unmarked "comedian" for all comics. It remains common in journalism about older generations of entertainers and in formal or historical contexts.
Easily confused with comedienne
"Comedian" refers to any performer of comedy regardless of gender, whereas "comedienne" specifically denotes a female comedian.