Where does “voice acting” come from?

voice acting (English) comes from English acting, from English Act, from English actually, from English actual, from Middle English actual, from Anglo-Norman actuel, from Old French actual, from Latin actuālis — to drive.

voice acting (English): The art, occupation, or performance of a voice actor

Definitions

  1. The art, occupation, or performance of a voice actor

Ancestry of “voice acting”, step by step

voice acting traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English acting

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishactingTemporarily assuming the duties or authority of...
2EnglishAct
3EnglishactuallyIn act or in fact; really; in truth; positively;...
4Englishactualrelating to a person's acts or deeds; active,...
5Middle Englishactualactual, real, true
6Anglo-Normanactuel
7Old Frenchactual
8Latinactuālisactive, practical
9Latināctusmade, done, having been done
10Latinagōto act, to behave
11Proto-Italicagōdrive; push, impel; do, act
12Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éǵetito be driving
13Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eǵ-to drive

via English voice

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishvoiceSound uttered by the mouth, especially by human...
2Middle EnglishvoysA voice; the sound a human or other speaking...
3Anglo-Normanvoizvoice
4Latinvocemaccusative singular of vōx; first-person singular...
5Latinvoxvoice
6Proto-Italicwōksvoice
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwṓkʷsvoice, speech
8Proto-Indo-Europeanwekʷ-to speak, to sound out

via English ing

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishingA meadow, especially a low meadow near a river;...
2Middle Englishing
3Old Englishingmeadow, water meadow, ing
4Old Norseengmeadow
5Proto-GermanicangijōA low lying meadow in a valley or near a river
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂énkoscurve, bend
7Proto-Indo-European-osCreates action nouns or result nouns from verbs;...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ-