PERFORMER

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

I. (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An entertainer who performs a dramatic or musical work for an audience

Synonyms:

performer; performing artist

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("performer" is a kind of...):

entertainer (a person who tries to please or amuse)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "performer"):

ventriloquist (a performer who projects the voice into a wooden dummy)

vaudevillian (a performer who works in vaudeville)

strongman (a man who performs feats of strength at a fair or circus)

ecdysiast; exotic dancer; peeler; stripper; striptease; striptease artist; stripteaser (a performer who provides erotic entertainment by undressing to music)

second banana; straight man (a performer who acts as stooge to a comedian)

snake charmer (a performer who uses movements and music to control snakes)

sightreader (a performer who reads without preparation or prior acquaintance (as in music))

Savoyard (a person who performs in the operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan)

puppeteer (one who operates puppets or marionettes)

instrumentalist; musician; player (someone who plays a musical instrument (as a profession))

monologist (an entertainer who performs alone)

minstrel (a performer in a minstrel show)

conjurer; conjuror; illusionist; magician; prestidigitator (someone who performs magic tricks to amuse an audience)

juggler (a performer who juggles objects and performs tricks of manual dexterity)

headliner; star (a performer who receives prominent billing)

geek (a carnival performer who does disgusting acts)

fire walker (someone who walks barefoot on burning coals)

fire-eater; fire-swallower (a performer who pretends to swallow fire)

executant (a performer (usually of musical works))

dancer; professional dancer; terpsichorean (a performer who dances professionally)

cowboy; rodeo rider (a performer who gives exhibitions of riding and roping and bulldogging)

comedian; comic (a professional performer who tells jokes and performs comical acts)

baton twirler; twirler (someone who twirls a baton)

artiste (a public performer (a dancer or singer))

actor; histrion; player; role player; thespian (a theatrical performer)

Derivation:

perform (give a performance (of something))

Credits

Context examples:

A sequence of digits or characters used to identify a particular telephone, fax, or email of the performer.

(Performer Telecom Address, NCI Thesaurus)

The man is by trade a conjurer and performer, going round the canteens after nightfall, and giving a little entertainment at each.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He is a harmless enough fellow, Parker by name, a garroter by trade, and a remarkable performer upon the jew’s-harp.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The party, like other musical parties, comprehended a great many people who had real taste for the performance, and a great many more who had none at all; and the performers themselves were, as usual, in their own estimation, and that of their immediate friends, the first private performers in England.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

My practice was to have my box removed from the place where the performers sat, as far as I could, then to shut the doors and windows of it, and draw the window curtains; after which I found their music not disagreeable.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

A superior performer!—very far from it, I assure you.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Lady Catherine listened to half a song, and then talked, as before, to her other nephew; till the latter walked away from her, and making with his usual deliberation towards the pianoforte stationed himself so as to command a full view of the fair performer's countenance.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

He came on the wings of disappointment, and with his head full of acting, for it had been a theatrical party; and the play in which he had borne a part was within two days of representation, when the sudden death of one of the nearest connexions of the family had destroyed the scheme and dispersed the performers.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Here ceased the concert part of the evening, for Miss Woodhouse and Miss Fairfax were the only young lady performers; but soon (within five minutes) the proposal of dancing—originating nobody exactly knew where—was so effectually promoted by Mr. and Mrs. Cole, that every thing was rapidly clearing away, to give proper space.