personal

[ pur-suh-nl ]

/ ˈpɜr sə nl /

SEE MORE 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.

Nearby words

Origin of personal

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

Related forms

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

Can be confusedpersonal personnel (see usage note at personnel)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples 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

Word Origin and History for personal

personal

adj.

late 14c., "pertaining to the self," from Old French personal (12c., Modern French personnel), from Late Latin personalis "pertaining to a person," from Latin persona (see person). Meaning "aimed at some particular person" (usually in a hostile manner) first attested 1610s. The noun sense of "newspaper item about private matters" is attested from 1888. As "a classified ad addressed to an individual," it is recorded from 1861. Personal computer is from 1976.

personal

adjective

noun

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Nearby words

Origin of personal

Examples from the Web for personal

personal

adjective

noun

personal