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View synonyms for personate

personate

1

[ pur-suh-neyt ]

verb (used with object)

, per·son·at·ed, per·son·at·ing.
  1. to act or portray (a character in a play, a part, etc.).
  2. to assume the character or appearance of; pass oneself off as, especially with fraudulent intent; impersonate.
  3. to represent in terms of personal properties or characteristics; personify.


verb (used without object)

, per·son·at·ed, per·son·at·ing.
  1. to act or play a part.

personate

2

[ pur-suh-nit, -neyt ]

adjective

  1. Botany.
    1. (of a bilabiate corolla) masklike.
    2. having the lower lip pushed upward so as to close the gap between the lips, as in the snapdragon.
  2. Zoology.
    1. having a masked or disguised form, as the larvae of certain insects.
    2. having masklike markings.

personate

1

/ ˈpɜːsənɪt; -ˌneɪt /

adjective

  1. (of the corollas of certain flowers) having two lips in the form of a face
“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


personate

2

/ ˈpɜːsəˌneɪt /

verb

  1. to act the part of (a character in a play); portray
  2. a less common word for personify
  3. criminal law to assume the identity of (another person) with intent to deceive
“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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Derived Forms

  • ˈpersonˌator, noun
  • ˌpersonˈation, noun
  • ˈpersonative, adjective
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Other Words From

  • per·son·a·tion [pur-s, uh, -, ney, -sh, uh, n], noun
  • per·son·a·tive adjective
  • per·son·a·tor noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of personate1

First recorded in 1590–1600; verb use of Latin persōnātus “wearing a mask, masked”; person ( def )

Origin of personate2

First recorded in 1750–60; from New Latin, Latin; persōnātus “masked”; persona, -ate 1
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Word History and Origins

Origin of personate1

C18: from New Latin persōnātus masked, from Latin persōna; see person
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Example Sentences

The king, by way of joke, desired the earl to personate him, and ordered the petitioner to be admitted.

He composed a love scene for two strings, the E and G, the first was to personate the lady, the second himself.

He did not fare so badly either, for being plump and rosy he was allowed to personate the jolly Friar Tuck.

Francesca and I were now obliged to creep from under the tarpaulins and personate the dishevelled ladies on the strand.

Rudely carved images are placed in different parts of the building, and are supposed to personate their divinity.

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persona non grataperson-day