Comedian vs. Comedienne: Is There Still a Difference?

Comedian and comedienne both refer to people who perform comedy, but the usage landscape has shifted significantly over the past few decades. Here is what you need to know.

Definitions

Comedian (noun): A person who performs comedy, tells jokes, or creates humorous content. Originally used to refer to men, it is now widely accepted as a gender-neutral term.

Comedienne (noun): A woman who performs comedy. This term follows the French convention of adding -enne to create a feminine form, similar to actor/actress or host/hostess.

The Shift Away from "Comedienne"

Many female performers today prefer to be called comedian rather than comedienne. The reasoning is straightforward: the gendered suffix implies that a woman performing comedy is a variation on the default (male) version. Using a single term for everyone puts the focus on the craft rather than the performer's gender.

Major style guides and publications have reflected this change. Most newspapers and magazines now use comedian regardless of gender unless the individual being discussed specifically prefers comedienne.

When "Comedienne" Still Appears

You will still encounter comedienne in:

Historical writing about performers from eras when gendered titles were standard
Biographical references where the performer embraced the term
Some international English contexts where gendered occupational titles remain common

Examples

Sarah Silverman is a comedian known for her sharp observational humor.
Joan Rivers, often called one of the greatest comediennes of all time, preferred that title throughout her career.
The comedy festival featured both veteran comedians and newcomers.
In the 1950s, a woman working in comedy was almost always referred to as a comedienne.
Ali Wong has become one of the most popular comedians in stand-up through her Netflix specials.

Which Should You Use?

Use comedian as your default. It works for any gender and is the current standard in most professional writing.

Use comedienne only when:

The person you are writing about prefers it
You are writing about a historical period when the term was standard
You are quoting a source that uses the term

The Broader Pattern

This shift mirrors changes across many occupational titles in English. Actress is increasingly replaced by actor, stewardess by flight attendant, and poetess by poet. The direction of the language is toward gender-neutral job titles, and comedy is no exception.

When in doubt, check how the performer refers to themselves. Respecting someone's preferred title is always the right call.

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