personage

[pur-suh-nij]

noun

1. a person of distinction or importance.

2. any person.

3. a character in a play, story, etc.

personage

/ ˈpɜːsənɪdʒ /

noun

1. an important or distinguished person

2. another word for person

   a strange personage

3. rare,  a figure in literature, history, etc

Other Word Forms

• nonpersonage noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of personage¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English: “body or image (statue, portrait) of a person” (from Old French ), from Medieval Latin persōnāgium. See person, -age

Synonym Study

See person.

Example Sentences

Musk is a unique personage in the CEO ranks, as the Yale researchers observe — “the world’s wealthiest person and CEO of the most valuable automaker by market capitalization.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But it is Ms. Hawkins, fully committed to a character who should be committed, who shines, making Laura a singular personage—a monster, but not necessarily a villain.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Musk’s unrestrained, all-access scourge through the government has led pundits like Nate Silver to compare him to a ‘great man’ of history — that mythic personage whose unhindered agency pushes history forward.

Read more on Salon

We chronicle, explicate, elucidate and constantly “re-adjudicate” historical events and personages.

Read more on Salon

Mr. Allman introduces us to an eclectic gallery of Miami personages.”

Read more on New York Times

Related Words

• celebrity 
• dignitary