Meaning & use
bit role
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A very small acting part in a film, play, or television production, often with few or no lines.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a bit role' or 'bit roles'. Often used with 'play' or 'have'.
Patterns
- play a bit role
- have a bit role in something
- a bit role in a film/play
After years of auditioning, she finally got a bit role in a Hollywood movie.
He played a bit role in the school play, but he still enjoyed the experience.
Many famous actors started out with bit roles before becoming stars.
Word forms
| plural | bit roles |
|---|
Common combinations
- play a bit role
- She was asked to play a bit role in the new detective series.
- a bit role in a movie
- He had a bit role in a movie last year, but you might not remember him.
- land a bit role
- After many auditions, he landed a bit role in a Broadway show.
- a bit role as a waiter
- In the film, she had a bit role as a waiter who says one line.
Synonyms and how they differ
- bit part
- Very similar, but 'bit part' is the more common phrase in everyday English; 'bit role' is slightly more formal or old-fashioned.
- minor role
- Neutral and more formal; it can refer to any small part, not just an acting one.
- cameo
- A small part played by a famous actor, often uncredited; a bit role is usually for an unknown actor.
Opposites
Word family
- bit player noun
- An actor who regularly plays small parts.
Commonly confused: bit role or bit part?
bit role vs bit part
These are almost the same, but 'bit part' is far more common. 'Bit role' may sound slightly unusual to some speakers.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'bit role' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Bit role' refers to a small acting part in a play, film, or TV show. Option B fits this meaning. Option An is wrong because 'bit role' is not used for business campaigns. Option C is wrong because it is not about a school project. Option D is wrong because 'bit role' is not a quantity of material.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bit role”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.