prosopopoeia

Or pro·so·po·pe·ia

[proh-soh-puh-pee-uh]

noun

Rhetoric.

1. personification, as of inanimate things.

2. a figure of speech in which an imaginary, absent, or deceased person is represented as speaking or acting.

prosopopoeia

/ ˌprɒsəpəˈpiːə /

noun

1. rhetoric another word for personification

2. a figure of speech that represents an imaginary, absent, or dead person speaking or acting

Other Word Forms

• prosopopoeial adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of prosopopoeia¹

First recorded in 1550–60; from Latin prosōpopoeia, from Greek prosōpopoiía “personification,” equivalent to prósōpo(n) “face, person ” + poi(eîn) “to make” + -ia -ia

Word History and Origins

Origin of prosopopoeia¹

C16: via Latin from Greek prosōpopoiia dramatization, from prosōpon face + poiein to make

Example Sentences

Over its many seasons of courtship Harrison has come to be the prosopopoeia of all the nation's unease over changing demographics.

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Where others would say “I don’t want to talk in my husband’s place”, she said something I’ve never heard anyone else say: “I don’t like prosopopoeia.”

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The want of scenery is sometimes supplied by a very unclassical figure, which, just the reverse of the prosopopoeia or personification of grammarians, considers persons to represent things.

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Phædrus evidently confounds them with tales; and Gay, both with tales and allegorical prosopopoeias.

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Yet in nearly every literature death has been personified, while no kindred prosopopoeia of life is anywhere to be found.

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Related Words

• apotheosis 
• archetype 
• avatar 
• epitome 
• exemplar 
• expression 
• personification 
• realization 
• symbol