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Greek drama was originally entirely performed by choruses. According to tradition, the Greek dramatist Thespis, of the 6th century B.C., was the inventor of tragedy and the first to write roles for the individual actor as distinct from the chorus, and the actor's exchanges with the chorus were the first dramatic dialogue. Since Thespis himself performed the individual parts in his own plays, he was also the first true actor. Ever since choruses disappeared from drama, thespians have filled all the roles in plays. Thespian is also an adjective; thus, we can speak of "thespian ambitions" and "thespian traditions", for example.
Examples of thespian in a Sentence
Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 3 Apr. 2026
As he's made apparent many times before, Brian Cox is not afraid to share his opinion of his fellow thespians.
—Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Apr. 2026
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Apr. 2026
Into such a place came thespian artists draped in their finest including Cate Blanchett, a nominee for her performance as Arkadina in director Thomas Ostermeier’s thrilling Barbican Theatre production of Chekhov’s The Seagull.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 23 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Thespian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thespian. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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