persona

[per-soh-nuh]

noun

plural

personae, personas 

1. a person.

2. personae, the characters in a play, novel, etc.

3. the narrator of or a character in a literary work, sometimes identified with the author.

4. (in the psychology of C. G. Jung) the mask or façade presented to satisfy the demands of the situation or the environment and not representing the inner personality of the individual; the public personality (anima ).

5. a person's perceived or evident personality, as that of a well-known official, actor, or celebrity; personal image; public role.

persona

/ pɜːˈsəʊnə /

noun

1. (often plural) a character in a play, novel, etc

2. an assumed identity or character

3. (in Jungian psychology) the mechanism that conceals a person's true thoughts and feelings, esp in his adaptation to the outside world

Word History and Origins

Origin of persona¹

First recorded in 1905–10, persona is from the Latin word persōna mask, character. See person

Word History and Origins

Origin of persona¹

Latin: mask

Example Sentences

Subsequently, Dermer, who wrote the speech, became persona non grata on the Hill among Democrats, according to people familiar with the matter.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The Black Sabbath singer made his stage persona a symbol of everything parents dreaded.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Maggie only sees a facet of her, and Hank also only sees a facet of her because she’s very controlling about how she projects this certain type of persona, until that becomes untenable.

Read more on Salon

Romance fraud involves fraudsters creating fake online personas to gain someone's trust and affection through the guise of a romantic relationship, and ultimately exploiting them for money.

Read more on BBC

"He paid for TV and magazine ads, put victims up in hotels and even created fake virtual offices and fake personas," he said.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• character 
• identity 
• personality 

When To Use

What does persona mean?

A persona is the image or personality that a person presents in public or in a specific setting—as opposed to their true self.The word is especially used in the phrase public persona, referring to the personality that a person presents in public and that they are known for by most people. The term is usually used in reference to public figures, such as politicians and celebrities, to contrast with “what they’re really like.”For example, someone’s public persona might be outgoing and social, while their true personality is shy and reserved. Of course, it’s also possible that someone’s public persona matches their true personality.In psychology, the word persona refers to the identity that a person takes on to adapt to the outside world or to a certain situation—their “mask” or facade.In literature, persona refers to a character in a story, especially the narrator.Much less commonly, persona can simply refer to a person. The Latin term persona appears in the phrase persona non grata, referring to a person who is not welcome.The correct plural of persona can be personas or personae. (The plural ending -ae is used in other formal plurals of Latin-derived words, such as antennae—the plural of antenna.)Example: In public, Ahmad’s persona is that of a confident leader, but in private he’s timid and kind of insecure.