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

Although his public persona was quite vivid—convivial, erudite but unpretentious, articulate, and unfailingly charming—he did not imbue his buildings with a distinctive graphic sensibility.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He also insinuated that his son was less than a man, a trauma that might explain Shepard’s stoic cowboy persona as well as his fear that his father was right.

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Referring to a heated media interview earlier this week, TKV said: "He has a persona - he's a good guy in front of the cameras, but behind the scenes he makes cheeky comments."

Read more on BBC

Despite our public persona of being dysfunctional and brawling, we were quite quiet in the rehearsal space.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Plus, included eyes and mouth stickers give your extravagant purchase a down-to-earth persona.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

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.