persona
Americannoun
-
personae,
plural
-
personas
plural
-
a person.
-
personae, the characters in a play, novel, etc.
-
the narrator of or a character in a literary work, sometimes identified with the author.
-
(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 (contrasted with anima).
-
a person's perceived or evident personality, as that of a well-known official, actor, or celebrity; personal image; public role.
noun
-
(often plural) a character in a play, novel, etc
-
an assumed identity or character
-
(in Jungian psychology) the mechanism that conceals a person's true thoughts and feelings, esp in his adaptation to the outside world
Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of persona
First recorded in 1905–10, persona is from the Latin word persōna mask, character. See person
Explanation
Your persona is the public image you present to the world. When T.S. Eliot wrote in "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" about preparing "a face to meet the faces that you meet," he had the persona in mind. In ancient Latin the word persona meant "mask." The word also can refer to a character played by an actor. While a persona is not considered a lie or a falsehood, its meaning implies that it is only part of the truth. Like all masks, there is "real" person beneath. Often a performer will take on a persona to express certain parts of himself: the rapper Eminem also goes by the name Slim Shady to express his darker self.
Vocabulary lists containing persona
Poetry: Literary Devices
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!
The Hate U Give
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!
Vocabulary from Beyoncé's "Lemonade"
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:
Just as his digital persona reached its apex, his real-world life was locked in a cage.
From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026
Root joked on Tuesday his "natural persona" may be suited to bringing a sense of calm to one of English cricket's most chaotic summers.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
It verifies Gloria’s singing talent and proves a perfect match for her showy, cagey persona: the love child of Marlene Dietrich and Sally Bowles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
The citizen-led effort calls for him to be declared persona non grata and removed from Canada.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
These private comments were more often far more expressive than those his reticent public persona allowed.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
“Like a Cat Loves a Bird” separates Spark’s character into 13 personae, each one highlighting an element of her writing that seems to color that part of her personality.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
In one respect, the dramatis personae in Kananaskis helps.
From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2025
In this unfiltered, unvarnished portrait of the artist, Sheff succeeds magnificently in bringing one of popular music’s most divisive and misunderstood personae to life.
From Salon ● Mar. 28, 2025
It is also a world in which digital personae appear ready to lure the unsuspecting to places they may never return from.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2024
In the case of marrying, the dramatis personae include the person being married and the person doing the marrying.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
Their conversation explores characters who hide their true nature behind carefully constructed personas, the role of technology in enabling obsession and revenge, and the social rituals that define contemporary London.
From Slate ● Aug. 15, 2026
Here’s a guide to the personas AI models have taken on in recent rogue episodes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
Granted, neither Gallego nor Murphy have alienated their constituencies with these ideas, but it’s a far cry from their personas when they were first elected.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026
The song refers to the pressures of fame, and the video shows Grande as a starlet who tries out for a group of talent scouts, dressing as a variety of different pop star personas.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
I’m trying on all sorts of personas today.
From "Better Nate Than Ever" by Tim Federle
Definitions 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.
