figurant: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
RareFormal / Literary / Technical (Arts)
Quick answer
What does “figurant” mean?
A person who appears in a performance, film, or event in a non-speaking or background role, an extra.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person who appears in a performance, film, or event in a non-speaking or background role, an extra.
A person who is present or involved in a situation but has no significant role or influence; a minor participant in any field or context.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is equally rare in both varieties. In the arts, 'extra' or 'supernumerary' are far more common.
Connotations
Slightly more formal and possibly more literary in British English; may carry a faintly dismissive or marginalizing tone in either variety.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general use. More likely encountered in historical, literary, or specialized texts about theatre or ballet.
Grammar
How to Use “figurant” in a Sentence
figurant in (the production)figurant for (the company)work as a figurantVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “figurant” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- [Not standardly used as adjective]
American English
- [Not standardly used as adjective]
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Could metaphorically describe a junior employee with no decision-making power in a major project: 'He felt like a mere figurant in the merger talks.'
Academic
Used in art history, film, or theatre studies to discuss non-speaking roles, crowd scenes, or the history of performance.
Everyday
Virtually never used. 'Extra' is the universal term.
Technical
Specific to performance arts like ballet or opera to denote a dancer or performer who is part of a group scene without a solo.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “figurant”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “figurant”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “figurant”
- Using it to mean 'a prominent figure' (the opposite meaning).
- Using it in general speech where 'extra' or 'background person' would be natural.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in meaning. 'Figurant' is a formal, somewhat old-fashioned term primarily from ballet and theatre, while 'extra' is the common, universal term, especially in film.
Yes, but it's rare and metaphorical. It describes someone present but playing an insignificant, often anonymous role in any event or organisation.
This is a major 'false friend.' The English 'figurant' means a background performer. The Russian 'фигурант' means a person involved in a (typically legal or criminal) case. They are not interchangeable.
In British English: /ˈfɪɡjʊrænt/ (FIG-yoo-rant). In American English: /ˈfɪɡjərənt/ (FIG-yuh-runt).
A person who appears in a performance, film, or event in a non-speaking or background role, an extra.
Figurant is usually formal / literary / technical (arts) in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No specific idiom for this rare word]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: A FIGURE in the ANT-hill of performers. Many ants look the same and have small roles, just like a figurant.
Conceptual Metaphor
A HUMAN IS A PROP / A HUMAN IS BACKGROUND NOISE.
Practice
Quiz
What is the most common synonym for 'figurant' in modern film production?