verb / noun
act
Performing a role or routine for an audience.
She acts in a play at the neighborhood theater.
Etymology
Latin agere meant to do or perform. Acting onstage applies that action to a represented character or routine, while the noun can name the performance itself.
More examples
- The juggler rehearses his new act backstage.
- Three local acts perform before the headline band.
- He has acted in both comedies and serious dramas.
Forms
act · acts · acted · acting
actor noun — A person who portrays characters in performances.