I. un ‧ der ‧ stud ‧ y 1 /ˈʌndəˌstʌdi $ -ər-/ BrE AmE noun ( plural understudies ) [countable]
an actor who learns a part in a play so that they can act the part if the usual actor is ill
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THESAURUS
▪ actor someone who performs in a play or film:
Her son wants to be an actor.
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Both my parents are actors.
▪ actress a woman who performs in a play or film. Many women prefer to be called actors rather than actresses :
Who was the actress who played Jane Eyre?
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She’s one of my favourite actresses.
▪ star a famous actor:
Julia Roberts is a famous Hollywood star.
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The hotel is popular with movie stars.
▪ the star someone who plays the most important part in a play or film:
Daniel Radcliffe is the star of the ‘Harry Potter’ films.
▪ co-star one of two or more famous actors who have important parts in a play or film:
Her co-star Jodie Foster won the Best Actress Award.
▪ the lead the main acting part in a play or film:
He will play the lead in a new version of ‘Dracula’.
▪ extra an actor in a film who does not say anything but is part of a crowd:
She started her career as an extra in TV soap operas.
▪ understudy an actor who learns a part in a play so that they can act the part if the usual actor is ill:
Vanessa had flu, and her place was taken by her understudy, Miss Lisa Fennell.
II. understudy 2 BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle understudied , present participle understudying , third person singular understudies ) [transitive]
to be an understudy for a particular actor in a play