thespian

T1H4E1S1P3I1A1N1
/ˈθɛspi.ən/US, sometimes/ˈθɛzbi.ən/

adjective

Of, or relating to drama and acting; dramatic, theatrical.

UncommonScrabble 13

Meanings

thespian1

adjectivethespian (comparative more thespian, superlative most thespian)

comparative more thespian · superlative most thespian · alternative Thespian

  1. Of, or relating to drama and acting; dramatic, theatrical.
nounthespian (plural thespians)

plural thespians · alternative Thespian

  1. An actor or player.

Thespian2

nounThespian (plural Thespians)

plural Thespians

  1. A person from the ancient Greek city of Thespiae.
  2. Alternative letter-case form of thespian.

    Now, I don’t think you’ve met Melissa Wayne, a fellow Thespian.

    1990, Pat Booth, Malibu, New York, N.Y.: Ballantine Books, page 156
    2 more examples

    In his way Carlyle was as much of a Thespian as Garrick or Kemble, Booth or Jeferson.

    1903, Adrian H[offman] Joline, The Diversions of a Book-Lover, New York, N.Y.; London: Harper & Brothers, page 170

    The courtyard’s empty and the Clients are inside the castle making pigs of themselves while watching a troupe of Thespians bait an animatronic bear.

    1995 April, George Saunders, “Bounty”, in Harper’s Magazine, volume 290, number 1739
adjectiveThespian (comparative more Thespian, superlative most Thespian)

comparative more Thespian · superlative most Thespian

  1. Alternative letter-case form of thespian.

    He stopped, and smiled, his blond hair, male-model good looks, and his ponytail giving away his Thespian dreams.

    1990, Pat Booth, Malibu, New York, N.Y.: Ballantine Books, →ISBN, page 113
    2 more examples

    Went to that magnificent Temple of Thalia, the New Olympic, and saw the bewitchingest Pauline, in the person of Winifred Emery, that ever I saw in the shammiest, stagiest, tawdriest, tinsellest, transparentest, most diaphanously theatrical comedy I ever saw in the absolute period of my Thespian existence.

    1890 December 24, “Judy’s Diary”, in Judy: The London Serio-comic Journal, volume 46, London: [s.n.], →OCLC, page 306, column 2

    “A stunning clotheshorse upon whom no discernible Thespian demands were made,” wrote Jack Gould, the television critic for The New York Times.

    2019 February 18, “Lee Radziwill, Former Princess and Sister of a First Lady, Is Dead at 85”, in The New York Times, section B, page 8

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna theatrical performer

Broader
performerperforming artist

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. LatinThespis
  2. Englishthespian

From Latin Thespis, from the name of the Ancient Greek actor Thespis (fl. 6th century BCE), from Θέσπις (Théspis) + -ian.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian драматичен
  • драматичен (dramatičen)of, or relating to drama and acting
Catalan actoral
  • actoralof, or relating to drama and acting
Italian drammatico, drammatica
  • drammaticoof, or relating to drama and acting
  • drammaticaof, or relating to drama and acting
  • teatraleof, or relating to drama and acting
Polish aktorski
  • aktorskiof, or relating to drama and acting
Spanish actoral
  • actoralof, or relating to drama and acting

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

thespian. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/thespian

MLA

“thespian.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/thespian. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “thespian,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/thespian.

Source: thespian on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.