persona
noun
per·so·na
pər-ˈsō-nə 
-ˌnä
plural personae
pər-ˈsō-(ˌ)nē
-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
Come for the arch, bitchy humor promised by the title and the director’s general social media brand; stay for the unabashed sweetness of the enterprise; leave with the distinct sense that there’s more to Firstman than his online persona.
—
Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 May 2026
Their personas were their personalities.
—Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 15 May 2026
And Detective Stiles, relying on a hunch, is not convinced by Coltrane’s daytime Brioni suit-wearing, philanthropist persona.
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 15 May 2026
The tricky part of being a celebrity like Firstman on the internet is that some people can conflate your comedic persona (which is maybe a little arrogant, a little colorful) with your real identity.
—Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for persona
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Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 May 2026
Their personas were their personalities.
—Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 15 May 2026
And Detective Stiles, relying on a hunch, is not convinced by Coltrane’s daytime Brioni suit-wearing, philanthropist persona.
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 15 May 2026
The tricky part of being a celebrity like Firstman on the internet is that some people can conflate your comedic persona (which is maybe a little arrogant, a little colorful) with your real identity.
—Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for persona
Cite this Entry
“Persona.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/persona. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
persona
noun
per·so·na
pər-ˈsō-nə, -ˌnä
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
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