1. a ballet dancer who performs in a group rather than as a soloist
Usage: ballet
2. an actor who appears on stage without speaking lines; an extra
Usage: theater

Examples

• The figurants moved gracefully across the stage during the opening scene.
• She started as a figurant in the ballet company before becoming a principal dancer.
• The director needed twenty figurants for the crowd scene.
• As a figurant, he had to memorize the choreography but had no solo parts.
• The opera required numerous figurants to create the illusion of a bustling marketplace.
• Young dancers often begin their careers as figurants in major productions.