persona

noun

per·​so·​na pər-ˈsō-nə How to pronounce persona (audio)
-ˌnä
plural personae pər-ˈsō-(ˌ)nē How to pronounce persona (audio)
-ˌnī
or personas
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 analytical psychology of Carl Gustav Jung reflects the role in life the individual is playing compare anima
b
: the personality that a person (such as an actor or politician) projects in public : image
3
plural personae : a character in a fictional presentation (such as a novel or play)
usually used in plural
comic personae

Examples of persona in a Sentence

His public persona is that of a strong, determined leader, but in private life he's very insecure. The band takes on a whole new persona when they perform live.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The release of a new, independent theme is one of the first and most important steps in establishing a new, post-WWE persona for the independent circuit or another major promotion. Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025 Pearce’s drag character Mitzi was the persona of Adam Whitely, an arrogant young gay man who often teasingly deadnames Bernadette as ‘Ralph’. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2025 Their deaths marked not just the end of two singular careers, but the symbolic closing of a cultural chapter — one where larger-than-life personas still had to be built in real time, without hashtags or viral cycles to carry them. Arkansas Online, 14 Aug. 2025 In fact, despite flaunting a public persona that only wanted to 'protect' and 'keep her family together,' Priscilla ultimately wanted one thing, power, no matter the cost. Cristian Santana, NBC news, 14 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for persona

Word History

Etymology

Latin

First Known Use

1732, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of persona was in 1732

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Persona.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/persona. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.

Medical Definition

persona

noun
per·​so·​na pər-ˈsō-nə, -ˌnä How to pronounce persona (audio)
plural personas
: an individual's social facade or front that especially in the analytical psychology of C. G. Jung reflects the role in life the individual is playing compare anima sense 1

More from Merriam-Webster on persona

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!