actor

Where does the word "actor" come from? It comes from Latin agere, passing through Latin before entering English (1300s).

Actor’s story begins in Latin: agere meant “to do, drive.” The root of 'act' and 'agent'. Within Latin, it grew into actor by ancient. A Roman legal representative or performer. It reached English by 1300s as actor. First recorded before 1325 in English statute law, still in its Latin legal sense of an agent; the stage-performer sense dates from the 1580s. Today, actor means a person who performs in plays or films.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient agere "to do, drive", the root of 'act' and 'agent'.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient actor "doer, advocate", a Roman legal representative or performer.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s actor "doer; agent", first recorded before 1325 in English statute law, still in its Latin legal sense of an agent; the stage-performer sense dates from the 1580s.