personate

[ pur-suh-neyt ]

/ ˈpɜr səˌneɪt /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR personate 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.

Words nearby personate

personality type, personalize, personalized medicine, personally, personalty, personate, personhood, personification, personify, personned, personnel

Origin of personate

1590–1600; v. use of Latin persōnātus personate²

OTHER WORDS FROM personate

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

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

Examples from the Web for personation

It is not found simply in the personation of vicious characters, whether in the shape of heroic crime or vulgar comedy.
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. XXVII, August 1852, Vol. V|Various
For the reason that his personation belongs to an entirely new school.
Letters of Peregrine Pickle|George P. Upton
In the Seville auto of September 24, 1559, there were three cases of personation.
A History of the Inquisition of Spain; vol. 4|Henry Charles Lea
As to the personation of votes, there should have been no allegation made.
Ralph the Heir|Anthony Trollope

Iamblichus next tackles the difficult question of imposition and personation by spirits.
Cock Lane and Common-Sense|Andrew Lang

British Dictionary definitions for personation (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 personation (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