role

Definitions

From Latin rotulus, a 'little wheel' and so a small roll of parchment. In medieval theatre an actor's lines were copied onto such a roll — his rôle. The paper roll became the part he played, and then any function a person fills. Behind every 'role' is a rolled-up scroll, which traces back to the wheel (rota).

Why It Means This

Role hides one of the prettiest stories in this family. It has nothing visible to do with wheels, yet it comes from rotulus — a little wheel, hence a scroll. The actor's lines lived on a physical roll of paper, and over time the roll itself came to mean the part. Today it has stretched far past theatre: your role at work, the role of vitamin D, gender roles. But the original image is concrete — a single rolled-up sheet handed to a player so he knows what to say.

Common Collocations

• 1.play a role发挥作用
• 2.key role关键作用
• 3.leading role主角
• 4.role model榜样

Example Sentences

• 1.

  She landed the leading role in the school play.

• 2.

  Sleep plays a key role in keeping your memory sharp.

• 3.

  As team lead, his role is to remove blockers, not write every line of code.

• 4.

  Parents and teachers have very different roles in a child's life.

Easily Confused

role vs roll — these sound the same but mean different things. role is a part or function (play a role). roll is to turn over, or a small round loaf (roll the dice, a bread roll). Tip: a role model is spelled with the 'part-you-play' word, never 'roll model.'