actor (n.)
late 14c., “an overseer, guardian, steward,” from Latin actus “a doing, a driving, impulse; a part in a play, act,” and actum “a thing done,” originally a legal term, both from agere “to do, set in motion, drive, urge, chase, stir up,” from PIE root ag– “to drive, draw out or forth, move” (cognates: Greek agein “to lead, guide, drive, carry off,” agon “assembly, contest in the games,” agogos “leader;” Sanskrit ajati “drives,” ajirah “moving, active;” Old Norse aka “to drive;” Middle Irish ag “battle”). Mid-15c. as “a doer, maker,” also “a plaintiff.” Sense of “one who performs in plays” is 1580s, originally applied to both men and women.
Meaning “display of exaggerated behavior” is from 1928. As someone “in the act” is from 1590s, perhaps originally from the 16c. sense of the act as “sexual intercourse.”
Where solitude endeth, there beginneth the market-place; and where the market-place beginneth, there beginneth also the noise of the great actors, and the buzzing of the poison-flies.
Thus Spoke Zarathustra
