trouper

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

English troupe

English -er

English trouper

From troupe + -er.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtɹuːpə(ɹ)/
• Rhymes: -uːpə(ɹ)
• Homophone: trooper
• Hyphenation: troup‧er

Noun

trouper (plural troupers)

1. A member of a theatrical company (a troupe).
2. A veteran performer.
3. (figurative, colloquial, dated) One who endures adversity or hardship with an attitude of stoicism and persistence [from 1933]

   Synonyms: survivor, tough cookie

   • 1933 August 13, Pittsburgh Press, page 29:

     [...]for Mr. Ruth, who in his mental travail has conducted himself like a real trouper.

Usage notes

In the sense of enduring adversity outside a performance context, this spelling has been almost entirely replaced by trooper, a process starting from 1959 or earlier. Trouper is a more obscure word, especially in the postwar era, and a false etymology to military troopers is easy to construct, but these causations are speculative.

Derived terms

• super trouper

Translations

a member of a theatrical company (a troupe)

• French: acteur (fr) m or f, actrice (fr) f
• German: Theatergruppenmitglied n, Mitglied einer Theatertruppe n
• Russian: член тру́ппы m (člen trúppy), актёр (ru) m (aktjór)

a veteran performer

• German: erfahrener Darsteller m, altgedienter Künstler m, Mime (de) m, altgedienter Schauspieler m
• Russian: о́пытный актёр m (ópytnyj aktjór)

Anagrams

• Ruperto, pre-tour, pretour