personality
Americannoun
-
personalities
plural
-
the visible aspect of one's character as it impresses others.
He has a pleasing personality.
-
a person as an embodiment of a collection of qualities.
He is a curious personality.
-
Psychology.
-
the sum total of the physical, mental, emotional, and social characteristics of an individual.
-
the organized pattern of behavioral characteristics of the individual.
-
-
the quality of being a person; existence as a self-conscious human being; personal identity.
-
the essential character of a person.
-
something apprehended as reflective of or analogous to a distinctive human personality, as the atmosphere of a place or thing.
This house has a warm personality.
-
a famous, notable, or prominent person; celebrity.
-
application or reference to a particular person or particular persons, often in disparagement or hostility.
-
a disparaging or offensive statement referring to a particular person.
The political debate deteriorated into personalities.
noun
-
psychol the sum total of all the behavioural and mental characteristics by means of which an individual is recognized as being unique
-
the distinctive character of a person that makes him socially attractive
a salesman needs a lot of personality
-
a well-known person in a certain field, such as sport or entertainment
-
a remarkable person
the old fellow is a real personality
-
the quality of being a unique person
-
the distinctive atmosphere of a place or situation
-
(often plural) a personal remark
Synonym Usage
See character.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of personality
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English personalite, from Middle French, from Late Latin persōnālitās, from Latin persōnāl(is) personal + -itās -ity
Explanation
Your personality is what makes you "you" — the combination of characteristics that make you unique. Despite sharing some of the same genes, your siblings may have different personalities from you. You may be outgoing and upbeat, your sister may be quiet and reserved, and your brother may be a perennial pessimist. A personality can also refer to someone who is well known in a certain field — such as a sports or television personality.
Vocabulary lists containing personality
List 3
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Psychology
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
List 2
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
He’s just done it more quietly, without attaching the force of his weird personality as a condition.
From Slate ● Oct. 17, 2026
A portfolio of sketches was thought likely to reveal the novice’s level of work and thought and innermost graphic personality.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Both are associated with the progressive damage to brain cells that contributes to memory problems, changes in personality, and difficulties with thinking.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 15, 2026
Hayler was married to media personality Price at the time of the allegations, before the couple's relationship broke down in 2018 and they divorced in 2021.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
Alatortsev and a small group of other masters and psychologists worked tirelessly for ten years attempting to “solve” the mystery of Fischer’s prowess, in addition to analyzing his personality and behavior.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
The personalities of the two men likewise diverged.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
Glover talked about being inspired by Nigella Lawson, one of the early food-media personalities to make femininity itself a visible part of her public identity.
From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2026
Sheen, 57, is acclaimed for his ability to convincingly portray a range of different personalities on screen, from Tony Blair to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor via Brian Clough.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
Then I saw seemingly 20 different unhinged personalities on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
We talked mostly about the circumstances and personalities at work—often I got gossip from Saline sooner than from anyone else.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
