Princeton's WordNet

1. function, office, part, role(noun)

   the actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group

   "the function of a teacher"; "the government must do its part"; "play its role"

2. character, role, theatrical role, part, persona(noun)

   an actor's portrayal of someone in a play

   "she played the part of Desdemona"

3. function, purpose, role, use(noun)

   what something is used for

   "the function of an auger is to bore holes"; "ballet is beautiful but what use is it?"

4. role(noun)

   normal or customary activity of a person in a particular social setting

   "what is your role on the team?"

Kernerman English Learner's Dictionary

1. role(noun)ʊl

   the function or responsibilities that sb or sth has in a particular situation or group

   Translation is one of the things I do in my role as a tour guide.; Local churches have an important/major/key role in caring for AIDS patients.; The military will play a peace-keeping role in this mission.

2. roleʊl

   an acting part in a play or movie

   She plays the role of the mother.

Wiktionary

1. role(Noun)

   A character or part played by a performer or actor.

2. role(Noun)

   The expected behaviour of an individual in a society.

   The role of women has changed significantly in the last century.

3. role(Noun)

   The function or position of something.

   Local volunteers played an important role in cleaning the beach after the oil spill.

4. role(Noun)

   : The function of a word in a phrase.

Origin: From rôle.

Webster Dictionary

1. Role(noun)

   a part, or character, performed by an actor in a drama; hence, a part of function taken or assumed by any one; as, he has now taken the role of philanthropist

U.S. National Library of Medicine

1. Role

   The expected and characteristic pattern of behavior exhibited by an individual as a member of a particular social group.

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