personhood

American  

[pur-suhn-hood] / ˈpɜr sənˌhʊd /

noun

1. the state or fact of being a person.

2. the state or fact of being an individual or having human characteristics and feelings.

   a harsh prison system that deprives prisoners of their personhood.

---

personhood British  

/ ˈp£ːsənˌhʊd /

noun

1. the condition of being a person who is an individual with inalienable rights, esp under the 14th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States

---

Etymology

Origin of personhood

First recorded in 1955–60; person + -hood

Example Sentences

"The transatlantic slave trade was a crime against humanity that struck at the core of personhood, broke up families, and devastated communities," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

Some will worry this line of thinking leads to legal personhood and rights for chatbots.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 25, 2025

For Grizzly Bear, there’s never been a line between performance and personhood.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 11, 2025

There are real concerns with IVF in America, even for those who do not belong to the movement for embryonic personhood.

From Slate • Oct. 7, 2025

It felt oddly dispossessing, being handed this first legal proof of my personhood: until that moment, it had never occurred to me that proof was required.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover