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

/ -ˌneɪt; ˈpɜːsənɪt /

adjective

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

personate

²

/ ˈpɜːsəˌneɪt /

verb

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

Derived Forms

• ˌpersonˈation, noun
• ˈpersonative, adjective
• ˈpersonˌator, noun

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

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of personate¹

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

Example Sentences

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• act like
• ape
• assume
• duplicate
• echo
• emulate
• impersonate
• mimic
• mirror
• mock
• pretend
• replicate
• reproduce
• resemble
• simulate