non-player character

noun

A character in a role-playing game or computer game whose actions are not controlled by a player.

Similar
NPCAIcomputer
Opposite
player character
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounnon-player character (plural non-player characters)

plural non-player characters

  1. roleplaying gamesvideo gamesA character in a role-playing game or computer game whose actions are not controlled by a player.

    Synonyms: NPC, AI, computer · Antonyms: player character

  2. InternetderogatoryA person who does not think for themselves nor make their own decisions.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA character in a role-playing game or computer game whose actions are not controlled by a player.

Similar
NPCAIcomputer
Opposite
player character
Also see
mobile

Origin

From non- + player character.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan personatge no jugador
  • personatge no jugadorcharacter in a role-playing game or computer game
Chinese Mandarin 非玩家角色
  • 非玩家角色 (fēi-wánjiā juésè)character in a role-playing game or computer game
Finnish NPC, ei-pelaaja-hahmo
  • NPCcharacter in a role-playing game or computer game
  • ei-pelaaja-hahmocharacter in a role-playing game or computer game
  • ei-pelaajahahmocharacter in a role-playing game or computer game
French personnage non-joueur (PNJ), ordi
  • personnage non-joueur (PNJ)character in a role-playing game or computer game
  • ordicharacter in a role-playing game or computer game
German Nicht-Spieler-Charakter (NSC or NPC)
  • Nicht-Spieler-Charakter (NSC or NPC)character in a role-playing game or computer game
Indonesian karakter nonpemain
  • karakter nonpemaincharacter in a role-playing game or computer game
Italian personaggio non giocante (PNG)
  • personaggio non giocante (PNG)character in a role-playing game or computer game
Polish bohater niezależny (BN)
  • bohater niezależny (BN)character in a role-playing game or computer game
Portuguese non-player character (NPC), personagem não jogável
  • non-player character (NPC)character in a role-playing game or computer game
  • personagem não jogávelcharacter in a role-playing game or computer game
Romanian personaj non-jucător
  • personaj non-jucătorcharacter in a role-playing game or computer game
Russian неигрово́й персона́ж
  • неигрово́й персона́ж (neigrovój personáž)character in a role-playing game or computer game
Spanish personaje no jugador, personaje no jugable
  • personaje no jugadorcharacter in a role-playing game or computer game
  • personaje no jugablecharacter in a role-playing game or computer game
Swedish spelledarperson (SLP)
  • spelledarperson (SLP)character in a role-playing game or computer game
Ukrainian неігрови́й персона́ж
  • неігрови́й персона́ж (neihrovýj personáž)character in a role-playing game or computer game
Cite this entry
APA

non-player character. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/non-player%20character

MLA

“non-player character.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/non-player%20character. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “non-player character,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/non-player%20character.

Source: non-player character on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.