persona

per·so·na

noun \pər-ˈsō-nə, -ˌnä\

plural per·so·nae\-(ˌ)nē, -ˌnī\ or personas

Definition of PERSONA

1

: a character assumed by an author in a written work

2

a plural personas [New Latin, from Latin] : an individual's social facade or front that especially in the analytic psychology of C. G. Jung reflects the role in life the individual is playing — compare anima b : the personality that a person (as an actor or politician) projects in public : image

3

plural personae : a character in a fictional presentation (as a novel or play) —usually used in plural <comic personae>

Examples of PERSONA

1. His public persona is that of a strong, determined leader, but in private life he's very insecure.
2. The band takes on a whole new persona when they perform live.

Origin of PERSONA

Latin

First Known Use: 1909

Other Psychology Terms

fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal

Rhymes with PERSONA

abaca, Abdullah, Adana, agora, ahimsa, aloha, Antalya, assignat, Astana, Aymara, baccarat, baklava, Bogotá, brouhaha, cervelat, coup d'état, Cumaná, Delacroix, entrechat, feria, guarana, haftarah, haniwa, Heredia, inshallah, Kashiwa, koruna, Kostroma, la-di-da, ma-and-pa, Machida, Malinois, Mardi Gras, Masséna, Modena, moussaka, Oshawa, pakeha, panama, Panama, Paraná, parashah, pas de trois, pietà, podesta, polenta, polynya, port de bras, reseda, rufiyaa, Shangri-la, tempura, ulema, usquebaugh