person

noun

per·son | \ ˈpər-sᵊn

Definition of person

1 : human, individual —sometimes used in combination especially by those who prefer to avoid man in compounds applicable to both sexes chairpersonspokesperson

2 : a character or part in or as if in a play : guise

3a : one of the three modes of being in the Trinitarian Godhead as understood by Christians

b : the unitary personality of Christ that unites the divine and human natures

4a archaic : bodily appearance

b : the body of a human being also : the body and clothing unlawful search of the person

5 : the personality of a human being : self

6 : one (such as a human being, a partnership, or a corporation) that is recognized by law as the subject of rights and duties

7 : reference of a segment of discourse to the speaker, to one spoken to, or to one spoken of as indicated by means of certain pronouns or in many languages by verb inflection

in person

: in one's bodily presence the movie star appeared in person

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Examples of person in a Sentence

She is a very nice person. I saw a person standing on the dock. Any person who wants a refund must have a receipt. Most people here are quite friendly. The tickets are $25 per person. The person at the front desk will be able to help you. The tax break is only applicable to persons in a high income bracket. I like her as a person, but she is not a very good writer. The disease is easily transmitted from person to person. The dogs discovered that the men were hiding drugs about their persons.

Recent Examples on the Web

In Moon Rising, Lucas has seized control, and the only person who can stop him is his sister, Ariel. — Andrew Liptak, The Verge, "All the science fiction and fantasy books we’re looking forward to in 2019," 30 Dec. 2018 Don’t miss the cemetery, either, where the carvings atop each tombstone indicate that person’s station in life (a fez headdress was reserved for government officials, a turban for someone of the religious order, an anchor for a seaman, and so on). — Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, "Three Days In Istanbul," 28 Dec. 2018 Which is an unusual thing for an internet person to say. — Eric Johnson, Recode, "How Imgur avoids the ugliness of social media," 26 Dec. 2018 Microsoft is hiring a product manager to lead a new Microsoft 365 subscription service for consumers—and boy, that person will have their work cut out for them. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "A Microsoft 365 subscription for consumers wouldn't work without the Xbox," 12 Dec. 2018 Considering the average person sleeps about eight hours per night, your bed is the most functional piece of furniture in your home. — Lucia Tonelli, ELLE Decor, "Everything You Need to Know About Platform Beds," 21 Nov. 2018 While furniture buyers still want to see large items in person before committing, e-commerce is becoming more important to browse options and eventually make a purchase. — Diana Budds, Curbed, "The rise of the direct-to-consumer home," 21 Dec. 2018 Add some chocolates or a handwritten card along with this beautiful bouquet and your loved one will feel like the luckiest person in the world on Valentine's Day. — Chanel Vargas, Town & Country, "12 Best Valentine's Day Flower Arrangements for That Special Someone," 18 Dec. 2018 The police department paired her with trooper Daniel O'Neil, and by 2017, Ruby had helped with more than 15 missing-person cases. — Woman's Day Staff, Woman's Day, "This Abandoned Shelter Dog Rescued the Missing Son of Her Former Trainer," 20 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'person.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near person

Statistics for person

Last Updated

11 Jan 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for person

The first known use of person was in the 13th century

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More Definitions for person

person

noun

English Language Learners Definition of person

: a human being

: a person who likes or enjoys something specified

law : the body or clothing of a person especially when considered as a place to hide things

See the full definition for person in the English Language Learners Dictionary

person

noun

per·son | \ ˈpər-sᵊn

Kids Definition of person

1 : a human being considered as an individual I had never heard a person speak Arabic.

Hint: The word person is sometimes used in compounds especially to avoid man in words that apply to both sexes.

chairperson

2 : the body of a human being Keep your person neat.

person

noun

per·son

Legal Definition of person

1 : natural person

2 : the body of a human being also : the body and clothing of a human being had drugs on his person

3 : one (as a human being or corporation) that is recognized by law as the subject of rights and duties — see also juridical person, legal person, personality