persona non grata

American  

[per-soh-nah nohn grah-tah, per-soh-nuh non grah-tuh, grey-, grat-uh] / pɛrˈsoʊ nɑ noʊn ˈgrɑ tɑ, pərˈsoʊ nə nɒn ˈgrɑ tə, ˈgreɪ-, ˈgræt ə /

noun

Latin.

personae non gratae plural

1. a person who is not welcome.

   He has become persona non grata in our club since his angry outburst.

2. a diplomatic representative unacceptable to an accrediting government.

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persona non grata British  

/ pɜːˈsəʊnə nɒn ˈɡrɑːtə /

noun

1. an unacceptable or unwelcome person

2. a diplomatic or consular officer who is not acceptable to the government or sovereign to whom he or she is accredited

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persona non grata Cultural  

1. A person who is no longer favored or welcome: “After my angry words with the manager, I am persona non grata at the video store.” From Latin, meaning “an unacceptable person.”

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• personae non gratae
  plural

Etymology

Origin of persona non grata

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

persona non grata

The site also quotes her as saying she had been told she was persona non grata in Uganda.

From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026

Choi becoming persona non grata for pot hardly seemed fair in light of that horrifying revelation.

From Salon ● Jun. 5, 2026

She said her husband has become persona non grata — “canceled,” in her words — and that the allegations will continue to cast a shade over his career “even if he’s exonerated.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 6, 2026

Iran’s ambassador, Mohammad Reza Sheibani, is refusing to leave Beirut despite Lebanon’s foreign ministry declaring him persona non grata.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 30, 2026

Ladd Devine himself had never attended a session; and Horsethief Shorty Wilson was persona non grata because although everyone knew he cheated, nobody could catch him at it; hence, Shorty was impossible to beat.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols