personate

1
[ pur-suh-neyt ]
See synonyms for: personatepersonation on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),per·son·at·ed, per·son·at·ing.
  1. to act or portray (a character in a play, a part, etc.).

  2. to assume the character or appearance of; pass oneself off as, especially with fraudulent intent; impersonate.

  1. to represent in terms of personal properties or characteristics; personify.

verb (used without object),per·son·at·ed, per·son·at·ing.
  1. to act or play a part.

Origin of personate

1
First recorded in 1590–1600; verb use of Latin persōnātus “wearing a mask, masked”; see origin at person

Other words from personate

  • per·son·a·tion [pur-suh-ney-shuhn], /ˌpɜr səˈneɪ ʃən/, noun
  • per·son·a·tive, adjective
  • per·son·a·tor, noun

Words Nearby personate

Other definitions for personate (2 of 2)

personate2
[ pur-suh-nit, -neyt ]

adjective
  1. Botany.

    • (of a bilabiate corolla) masklike.

    • having the lower lip pushed upward so as to close the gap between the lips, as in the snapdragon.

  2. Zoology.

    • having a masked or disguised form, as the larvae of certain insects.

    • having masklike markings.

Origin of personate

2
First recorded in 1750–60; from New Latin, Latin; persōnātus “masked”; see origin at persona, -ate1

Other words from personate

  • per·son·ate·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use personate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for personate (1 of 2)

personate1

/ (ˈpɜːsəˌneɪt) /


verb(tr)
  1. to act the part of (a character in a play); portray

  2. a less common word for personify

  1. criminal law to assume the identity of (another person) with intent to deceive

Derived forms of personate

  • personation, noun
  • personative, adjective
  • personator, noun

British Dictionary definitions for personate (2 of 2)

personate2

/ (ˈpɜːsənɪt, -ˌneɪt) /


adjective
  1. (of the corollas of certain flowers) having two lips in the form of a face

Origin of personate

2
C18: from New Latin persōnātus masked, from Latin persōna; see person

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012