personal

[ pur-suh-nl ]

/ ˈpɜr sə nl /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR personal ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of, relating to, or coming as from a particular person; individual; private: a personal opinion.

relating to, directed to, or intended for a particular person: a personal favor; one's personal life; a letter marked “Personal.”

intended for use by one person: a personal car.

referring or directed to a particular person in a disparaging or offensive sense or manner, usually involving character, behavior, appearance, etc.: personal remarks.

making personal remarks or attacks: to become personal in a dispute.

done, carried out, held, etc., in person: a personal interview.

pertaining to or characteristic of a person or self-conscious being: That is my personal belief.

of the nature of an individual rational being.

pertaining to the body, clothing, or appearance: personal cleanliness.

provided for one's discretionary use: Employees are allowed 15 vacation days and two personal days.

Grammar.

noting person: In Latin portō “I carry,” -ō is a personal ending.
of, relating to, or characteristic of the personal pronoun, as English I, we, you, he, she, it, and they.

Law. of or relating to personal property: personal interests.

noun

a short news paragraph in a newspaper concerning a particular person, as one who is socially prominent, or a group of particular persons who are socially prominent.
a brief, private notice in a newspaper or magazine, often addressed to a particular person, and typically bearing an abbreviated salutation and signature to preserve its confidentiality, usually printed in a special part of the classified advertising section.
Also called personal ad. a similar notice, as in a newspaper or on a website, placed by a person seeking companionship, a spouse, etc.
Usually personals. a column, page, or section, as of a newspaper, magazine, or website, featuring such notices or items.

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a granular metamorphic rock.

a person who has retired to a solitary place for a life of religious seclusion.

a hobble or fetter for a horse or other animal.

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Origin of personal

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Late Latin word persōnālis. See person, -al¹

OTHER WORDS FROM personal

per·son·al·ness, nounhy·per·per·son·al, adjectivehy·per·per·son·al·ly, adverbmul·ti·per·son·al, adjective

non·per·son·al, adjectivenon·per·son·al·ly, adverbqua·si-per·son·al, adjectivequa·si-per·son·al·ly, adverbsu·per·per·son·al, adjectivesu·per·per·son·al·ly, adverbun·per·son·al, adjectiveun·per·son·al·ly, adverb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH personal

personal personnel (see usage note at personnel)

Words nearby personal

persona grata, persona non grata, personable, personae, personage, personal, personal care, personal column, personal computer, personal day, personal digital assistant

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for personal

And, as Gow adds wryly from his own personal experience, “To a huge extent they achieved that aim very well.”
‘Nazi Cows’ Tried to Kill British Farmer|Tom Sykes|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Michael Steinbrick, a personal trainer with New York Sports Clubs, says he can always spot a newbie.
How to Survive the New Year ‘Gympocalypse’|Tim Teeman|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It was hard not to take it as a sign, a personal comment on my own Jewish dating failings.
My Week on Jewish Tinder|Emily Shire|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“Personal hotspots can get speeds of up to 60 Mb/s down, whereas hotel Wi-Fi can be as slow as 1.5 Mb/s,” Sesar said.
How ‘Ethical’ Hotel Chain Marriott Gouges Guests in the Name of Wi-Fi Security|Kyle Chayka|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST

“Personal hotspots are just that, personal,” Sesar continued.
How ‘Ethical’ Hotel Chain Marriott Gouges Guests in the Name of Wi-Fi Security|Kyle Chayka|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
By her own personal strength her twelve children were brought forth, and her own sensitive fibres and tissues felt the suffering.
What a Young Husband Ought to Know|Sylvanus Stall
She had had no personal description of Mrs. Hurtle, but had expected something very different from this!
The Way We Live Now|Anthony Trollope
He is nearly two years older than Frank, and about as opposite to him in personal appearance as can well be imagined.
Frank's Campaign|Horatio Alger, Jr.
He had been several times on the very point of making a personal attempt to repair his failing fortunes beyond the Channel.
Owen Glyndwr and the Last Struggle for Welsh Independence|Arthur Granville Bradley
The personal pride of the owner, curbed in its turn by the pride of tradition and family, spoke strangely from these words.
Lady Rose's Daughter|Mrs. Humphry Ward

British Dictionary definitions for personal

personal

/ (ˈpɜːsənəl) /

adjective

of or relating to the private aspects of a person's lifepersonal letters; a personal question

(prenominal) of or relating to a person's body, its care, or its appearancepersonal hygiene; great personal beauty

belonging to or intended for a particular person and no-one elseas a personal favour; for your personal use

(prenominal) undertaken by an individual himselfa personal appearance by a celebrity

referring to, concerning, or involving a person's individual personality, intimate affairs, etc, esp in an offensive waypersonal remarks; don't be so personal

having the attributes of an individual conscious beinga personal God

of or arising from the personalitypersonal magnetism

of, relating to, or denoting grammatical person

law of or relating to movable property, such as moneyCompare real 1 (def. 8)

noun

law an item of movable property

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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personal

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Origin of personal

OTHER WORDS FROM personal

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH personal

Words nearby personal

Example sentences from the Web for personal

British Dictionary definitions for personal

adjective

noun

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

personal

adjective

noun

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Origin of personal

OTHER WORDS FROM personal

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH personal

Words nearby personal

Words related to personal

Example sentences from the Web for personal

British Dictionary definitions for personal

adjective

noun