Dictionary.com

personate

1
[ pur-suh-neyt ]
/ ˈpɜr səˌneɪt /
See synonyms for: personate / personation on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), per·son·at·ed, per·son·at·ing.

to act or portray (a character in a play, a part, etc.).
to assume the character or appearance of; pass oneself off as, especially with fraudulent intent; impersonate.
to represent in terms of personal properties or characteristics; personify.

verb (used without object), per·son·at·ed, per·son·at·ing.

to act or play a part.

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Origin of personate

1
1590–1600; v. use of Latin persōnātuspersonate2

OTHER WORDS FROM personate

per·son·a·tion, nounper·son·a·tive, adjectiveper·son·a·tor, noun

Definition for personate (2 of 2)

personate2
[ pur-suh-nit, -neyt ]
/ ˈpɜr sə nɪt, -ˌneɪt /

adjective

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.
Zoology.
  1. having a masked or disguised form, as the larvae of certain insects.
  2. having masklike markings.

Origin of personate

2
1750–60; <New Latin, Latin persōnātus masked; see persona, -ate1

OTHER WORDS FROM personate

per·son·ate·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to personate

ape, resemble, simulate, mirror, look like, represent, play, give, show, offer, execute, produce, go on, display, present, stage, perform, do, portray, enact

Example sentences from the Web for personate

British Dictionary definitions for personate (1 of 2)

personate1
/ (ˈpɜːsəˌneɪt) /

verb (tr)

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

Derived forms of personate

personation, nounpersonative, adjectivepersonator, noun

British Dictionary definitions for personate (2 of 2)

personate2
/ (ˈpɜːsənɪt, -ˌneɪt) /

adjective

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

Word Origin for personate

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