Advertisement

Origin and history of performer

performer(n.)

1580s, "one who accomplishes or fulfills," agent noun from perform (v.). Theatrical sense of "one who takes part in a play or public entertainment of any kind" is from 1711.

also from 1580s

Entries linking to performer

perform(v.)

c. 1300, performen, "carry into effect, fulfill, discharge, carry out what is demanded or required," via Anglo-French performer, performir, altered (by influence of Old French forme "form") from Old French parfornir "to do, carry out, finish, accomplish," from par- "completely" (see per-) + fornir "to provide" (see furnish). Church Latin had a compound performo "to form thoroughly, to form."

Theatrical/musical senses of "act or represent on or as on a stage; sing or render on a musical instrument" are from c. 1600. The verb was used with wider senses in Middle English than now, including "to make, construct; produce, bring about;" also "come true" (of dreams), and to performen muche time was "to live long." Related: Performed; performing; performable.

    Advertisement

    More to explore

    jabroni
    Jobber — A performer who regularly loses on television and doesn't receive much if any push....A comparable term for such a performer is jabroni, which is a favorite catch-phrase of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson....
    executor
    Compare executioner, and also executant "one who does or performs" (especially a musical performer), from 1858; executer...
    acrobat
    French acrobate "tightrope-walker" (14c.) and directly from a Latinized form of Greek akrobatēs "rope dancer, gymnastic performer...
    factor
    French facteur "agent, representative" (Old French factor, faitor "doer, author, creator"), from Latin factor "doer, maker, performer...
    book
      The meaning "to register a name for a seat or place; issue (railway) tickets" is from 1841; that of "to engage a performer...
    champion
    The sporting sense in reference to "first-place performer, one who has demonstrated superiority to all others in some matter...
    star
    The meaning "leading performer" is from 1824, originally of actors and singers; the sense of "outstanding performer in a...
    fire-eater
    1670s, "juggler who appears to swallow fire as part of an act," from fire (n.) + eater. From 1804 as "person of irascible or recklessly defiant disposition;" especially in U.S. history in reference to vehement Southern partizans (1851). Perhaps due to the extended senses, fire-sw
    artiste
    "one skillful in some art not considered one of the fine arts; one who makes an art of his employment," attested by 1819 in English, from 1804 as a French word in English, from French artiste; an English reborrowing of artist, at first in a foreign context, later used to fill the
    striate
    "to score, stripe, cause striations in," 1709, from special modern use of Latin striatus, "furrowed, grooved," past participle of striare "to groove, to flute," from Latin stria "furrow, channel, flute of a column" (in Modern Latin "strip, streak"), possibly from PIE root *strig-

    Share performer

    Advertisement
    Trending
    Dictionary entries near performer
    Advertisement