Playacting: meaning, definitions and examples

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playacting

 

[ pleɪˌæktɪŋ ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

theatrical performance

Playacting refers to the act of performing or portraying a character in a play or theatrical production. It involves adopting the persona of a character, often requiring skills in expression, movement, and voice modulation. Playacting can also refer to imitating behaviors in a non-serious context.

Synonyms

acting, impersonation, performance

Examples of usage

  • The children enjoyed playacting their favorite story characters.
  • She excelled in playacting during drama class.
  • His playacting in the talent show impressed the audience.

Translations

Translations of the word "playacting" in other languages:

🇵🇹 interpretação

🇮🇳 नाटक करना

🇩🇪 Schauspielerei

🇮🇩 bermain

🇺🇦 ігрове мистецтво

🇵🇱 odgrywanie ról

🇯🇵 演技

🇫🇷 jeu d'acteur

🇪🇸 actuación

🇹🇷 rol oynama

🇰🇷 연기

🇸🇦 تمثيل

🇨🇿 představení

🇸🇰 predstavenie

🇨🇳 表演

🇸🇮 igra

🇮🇸 leikrit

🇰🇿 ойнау

🇬🇪 თამაშობა

🇦🇿 rol oynama

🇲🇽 actuación

Etymology

The term 'playacting' originated in the early 19th century, combining 'play', which comes from the Old English 'plega', meaning 'game' or 'exercise', with 'acting', derived from the Latin 'actio', meaning 'a doing' or 'action'. Initially, playacting referred primarily to formal theatrical performances. However, over time, the term has evolved to describe not only professional acting but also informal role-playing and improvisation activities. It reflects the human penchant for storytelling and role immersion, which has historical roots in ancient cultures where drama was used as a means of societal commentary and entertainment.