Pronunciation: /ˈʌndəstʌdi/
noun (plural understudies)
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(in the theatre) a person who learns another’s role in order to be able to act at short notice in their absence: he has played as understudy to Celtic’s usual goalkeeper he is understood to be understudy for the governor
verb (understudies, understudying, understudied)
[with object]-
study (a role or actor) as an understudy: he had to understudy Prospero