role

Rarely rôle

[rohl]

noun

1. a part or character played by an actor or actress.

2. proper or customary function.

   the role of religion in society.

   Synonyms: duty, responsibility, position, function, capacity, part, character

3. the function assumed by a person or thing in a given action or process.

   Schools offer few practical tools to help students explore their role in shaping the future.

4. Sociology.,  the rights, obligations, and expected behavior patterns associated with a particular social status.

   When studying child development, it was critical to study the father's role.

role

/ rəʊl /

noun

1. a part or character in a play, film, etc, to be played by an actor or actress

2. psychol the part played by a person in a particular social setting, influenced by his expectation of what is appropriate

3. usual or customary function

   what is his role in the organization?

Other Word Forms

• multirole adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of role¹

First recorded in 1600–10; from French rôle “roll (of paper containing the actor's part)”; roll

Word History and Origins

Origin of role¹

C17: from French rôle _roll , an actor's script

Example Sentences

In the past, CDC teams have also had a major hands-on role in global health protection.

From BBC

Greenwood started at left-back as opposed to the centre-back role she has played in recent seasons for City, while England forward Lauren Hemp switched from the left-hand side to the right and was often inverted.

From BBC

Especially with “Alien,” a franchise where a decision to cast a woman in a role originally written for a man made it iconic.

From Salon

Her connection with Hechinger is palpable, heady and heated, despite their characters’ differences, and it’s nice to see Hechinger in a more adult, romantic role, even as Skinner falls prey to his own demons.

From Los Angeles Times

It is understood that the party has interviewed four candidates for the role and will announce who has been successful next week.

From BBC

Related Words

• act 
• appearance 
• aspect 
• character 
• part 
• performance 
• portrayal