persona

American  

[per-soh-nuh] / pərˈsoʊ nə /

noun

personae, plural personas plural

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 (contrasted with anima).

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

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persona British  

/ 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

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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

Inflected Forms

noun

• personas
  plural
• personae
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

Steve Coogan is terrific in a rare dramatic role, as is Tom Burke as cop teetering on the edge as he falls dangerously deep into his undercover persona.

From MarketWatch • May 31, 2026

“Her persona was carefully constructed. She knew how to give just enough, to create the illusion of something.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

The company said in the filing that it was responding to Wylie's application to trademark Pattie Gonia as a brand, moving from simply using the persona to potentially selling products and organising events.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

He dropped the persona for “The Late Show,” which required him to establish a rapport with his national audience.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

It was true that she hadn’t made it easy; she knows from experience that tough and weird is preferable to pathetic and vulnerable, and she wears her Goth persona like armor.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline

Related Words

• character
• identity
• personality