On the stage of a theater where the audience can see; visible to the audience during a performance.
Compound of 'on' + 'stage,' where 'stage' comes from Old French 'estage' meaning a platform or place. This is a modern theatrical term that became standard in the 1800s.
The distinction between 'onstage' (what the audience sees) and 'backstage' (hidden from view) was so useful that it became metaphorical—now people talk about their 'onstage persona' vs. who they really are, extending the theater metaphor to real life!
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