actrice

Actrice is the feminine form of the French noun acteur, meaning a person who acts in theatre, film, television, or other performances. The word reflects the gendered vocabulary common in French, where many professional titles have both masculine and feminine forms. In standard usage, actrice refers to a female performer, while the masculine form acteur refers to a male performer.

In contemporary French, actrice is the common term for a woman who acts in the arts and media. Some contexts also employ comédienne, a traditional term that can carry connotations of stage work and performance, though it is often used more broadly in everyday language or in media to imply acting as a profession. The choice between actrice and comédienne can depend on regional preference, stylistic goals, or the emphasis on theatre versus screenwork. Neutral or inclusive language in some institutions may avoid gendered forms, opting for phrases like «la personne qui joue un rôle» (the person who plays a role) in specific contexts.

Across languages, actrice corresponds to the English actress, though many modern English-language style guides increasingly use actor as a gender-neutral term. In French, actrice remains the standard feminine form and is widely understood in spoken and written discourse. The entry of gender-neutral terms in some French usage remains a topic of discussion among linguists and style guides.