role

noun

variants or less commonly rôle
1
a(1)
: a character assigned or assumed
had to take on the role of both father and mother
(2)
: a socially expected behavior pattern usually determined by an individual's status in a particular society
b
: a part played by an actor or singer
2
: a function or part performed especially in a particular operation or process
played a major role in the negotiations

Examples of role in a Sentence

He plays the role of the villain. She was given the starring role. I had a minor role in the play. After her husband left her, she had to take on the dual role of mother and father for her children. She likes to play the role of matchmaker with her friends. She challenged the traditional roles assigned to women. We'll switch roles this time, and you can wash the dishes while I dry them. It was a case of role reversal: the father stayed home with the children while the mother worked.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Your liver also plays the very sweet role of regulating your blood sugar levels by releasing glucose and storing glycogen when appropriate. Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025 Humanoid robots are stepping into new roles that go well beyond labs and competitions. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2025 Soil moisture also plays a huge role, with the MSU Forestry Extension adding that ample precipitation is required for the most robust displays of color. Kyle Reiman, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2025 Nutrition plays a role in several root causes of acne. Megan McIntyre, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for role

Word History

Etymology

French rôle, literally, roll, from Old French rolle

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of role was in 1605

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Role.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/role. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

role

noun
variants also rôle
1
a
: a character assigned or taken on
b
: a socially expected behavior pattern usually determined by an individual's status in a particular society
c
: a part played by an actor or singer
a starring role
2
: function entry 1 sense 2a
the role of enzymes in digestion
Etymology

from French rôle "part played by an actor," literally "scroll"; so called because before the use of books, the actor's parts were written on scrolls

Medical Definition

role

noun
variants also rôle
: a socially prescribed pattern of behavior usually determined by an individual's status in a particular society

More from Merriam-Webster on role

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