personate
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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personates,
present (3rd person singular)
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personated,
past participle, past
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personating
present participle
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to act or portray (a character in a play, a part, etc.).
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to assume the character or appearance of; pass oneself off as, especially with fraudulent intent; impersonate.
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to represent in terms of personal properties or characteristics; personify.
verb (used without object)
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personates,
present (3rd person singular)
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personated,
past participle, past
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personating
present participle
adjective
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Botany.
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(of a bilabiate corolla) masklike.
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having the lower lip pushed upward so as to close the gap between the lips, as in the snapdragon.
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Zoology.
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having a masked or disguised form, as the larvae of certain insects.
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having masklike markings.
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verb
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to act the part of (a character in a play); portray
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a less common word for personify
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criminal law to assume the identity of (another person) with intent to deceive
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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personatesimple
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personatessimple
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have personatedperfect
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has personatedperfect
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am personatingprogressive
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are personatingprogressive
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is personatingprogressive
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have been personatingperfect progressive
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has been personatingperfect progressive
Past
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personatedsimple
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had personatedperfect
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was personatingprogressive
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were personatingprogressive
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had been personatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of personate1
First recorded in 1590–1600; verb use of Latin persōnātus “wearing a mask, masked”; see origin at person ( def. )
Origin of personate2
First recorded in 1750–60; from New Latin, Latin; persōnātus “masked”; see origin at persona, -ate 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
In the night he fled, accompanied by his wife and child, leaving the tribe in charge of his younger brother Sondaba, who agreed to personate him.
From By Veldt and Kopje by W. C. (William Charles) Scully
The two captives personate each other, and induce Hegio to send home Philocrates, who was a wealthy noble, and keep only the born slave.
From The Brothers' War by John Calvin Reed
Keep near me, and follow me to the dressing-rooms; by-and-by we will exchange costumes there, after which, you will personate me.”
From Dangerous Ground or, The Rival Detectives by Lawrence L. Lynch
He had as a friend a man who resembled him very closely, and he offered this friend a sum of money if he would go to Melbourne and personate him.
From The Everlasting Arms by Joseph Hocking
His own affection for Hallam seems to personate the object of his attachment, and “sees himself in all he sees.”
From A Key to Lord Tennyson's 'In Memoriam' by Mrs. Alfred Gatty
“Everett Quinton personates the oinker as a most sympathetic fellow,” Don Nelsen wrote in a review in The Daily News.
From New York Times ● Jan. 27, 2023
This is one of the groans of old Burton over his laborious work, when he is anticipating the reception it is like to meet with, and personates his objectors.
From Calamities and Quarrels of Authors by Isaac Disraeli
That shadowy body, now reduced to four members, personates the ghost of the European concert.
From The New York Times Current History, A Monthly Magazine The European War, March 1915 by Various
The characteristic scrolls about the eyes of the figure show that it personates tlaloc, or earth-wine.
From The Fundamental Principles of Old and New World Civilizations by Zelia Nuttall
Beginning with this, he personates Oscar until Lucilla again loses her sight.
From Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama A Revised American Edition of the Reader's Handbook, Vol. 3 by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer
The real Garlinghouse reported this to Instagram, which took a look ... and then 72 hours later, informed him that after investigating the company had determined that he was not actually being personated.
From The Verge ● Apr. 22, 2020
Dr. Trefusis personated a violinist, sawing upon the air.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
On this day of the double marriage, as on that of Walter’s majority, there are morris-dancers; and, as before, are personated the “merry men” of Sherwood Forest.
From The White Gauntlet by Mayne Reid
Drawn faithfully, and personated by Mr. James Lewis, the dramatized interviewer would be a wealth of pleasure.
From The Galaxy Vol. XXIII?March, 1877.?No. 3 by Various
It appeared that it was not the first time Despard had personated young De Hauteroche, to his own advantage, and the latter’s disgrace.
From The Guerilla Chief And other Tales by Mayne Reid
Mr. Follingsbee, also in costume, will join you, and together you will attend an up-town masquerade, you personating Mrs. Follingsbee, who will remain at home.”
From Dangerous Ground or, The Rival Detectives by Lawrence L. Lynch
There he had a long talk with a fellow who seemed to be personating a bricklayer.
From Dangerous Ground or, The Rival Detectives by Lawrence L. Lynch
The more uncertain were my orders the better, for he whom I was now personating might really have decided views of his own of a contrary policy.
From The White Shield by Bertram Mitford
These are wicked Grecian spirits who are personating their gods and goddesses, their heroes and heroines.
From In Both Worlds by William Henry Holcombe
There was a charge preferred against you, or some one of your name, a few weeks ago, of personating a candidate at the examination for commissions in the army.
From Laid up in Lavender by Stanley J. Weyman
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