α. 1800s– impersonator.
β. 1900s– empersonator (rare).
impersonatorn.
/ɪmˈpəːsəneɪtə/, /ɪmˈpəːsn̩eɪtə/, U.S. /ᵻmˈpərsnˌeɪdər/ A person who pretends to be someone else, usually for the purpose of entertainment or fraud; one who imitates a person's voice, mannerisms, etc.; (in early use esp.) a person acting the role of a character in a play, etc. Cf. personator n.Often also with modifying word specifying the person or type of person impersonated.female impersonator, male impersonator: see the first element.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > actor > [noun]
playera1400
game-player1533
comedy player1550
stage-player1561
actor1566
histrion?1566
comediant1568
representer1579
stager1580
presentera1586
histrio1589
stageman1589
gamester1596
player-man1596
Roscius1600
stagerite1602
theaterian1602
comedian1603
scenic1612
representant1622
play-actor1633
parta1643
histrionic1647
representator1653
artist1714
mummer1773
actor-manager1826
Thespian1827
impersonator1830
personifier1835
player-manager1895
thesp1962
luvvie1988
1830 Freeman's Jrnl. (Dublin) 1 Mar. Mr. Macready played the part of Rob Roy, and reaped additional favour as the impersonator of the bold, brave and sublime outlay [read outlaw] of the Highlands.
1864 Reader 18 June With one exception, all the characters are sustained by their former impersonators.
1907 Rock Valley (Iowa) Bee 17 May 5/2 Hear Mrs. E. Janet Little, reader and empersonator at M. E. church May 21.
1952 Daily Mail 9 Jan. 5/7 A..student..gained entry to Glasgow University by having an impersonator sit the mathematics part of the preliminary examination.
2012 Independent 28 Aug. 27/4 Some of the Bandstand performances will include..a sign-language choir in Chester and an Elvis impersonator in Barry, South Wales.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2019; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1830