Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
| a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare. |
role or rôle (rəʊl) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | a part or character in a play, film, etc, to be played by an actor or actress |
| 2. | psychol the part played by a person in a particular social setting, influenced by his expectation of what is appropriate |
| 3. | usual or customary function: what is his role in the organization? |
| [C17: from French rôle | |
| rôle or rôle | |
| —n | |
| [C17: from French rôle | |
| role or rôle (rəʊl) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | a part or character in a play, film, etc, to be played by an actor or actress |
| 2. | psychol the part played by a person in a particular social setting, influenced by his expectation of what is appropriate |
| 3. | usual or customary function: what is his role in the organization? |
| [C17: from French rôle | |
| rôle or rôle | |
| —n | |
| [C17: from French rôle | |
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
role
Cite This Source
role or rôle (rōl)
n.
The characteristic and expected social behavior of an individual.
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
role
in sociology, the behaviour expected of an individual who occupies a given social position or status. A role is a comprehensive pattern of behaviour that is socially recognized, providing a means of identifying and placing an individual in a society. It also serves as a strategy for coping with recurrent situations and dealing with the roles of others (e.g., parent-child roles). The term, borrowed from theatrical usage, emphasizes the distinction between the actor and the part. A role remains relatively stable even though different people occupy the position: any individual assigned the role of physician, like any actor in the role of Hamlet, is expected to behave in a particular way. An individual may have a unique style, but this is exhibited within the boundaries of the expected behaviour.
Learn more about role with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Cite This Source
