person

noun

per·​son ˈpər-sᵊn 

1

: human, individual

—sometimes used in combination especially by those who prefer to avoid man in compounds applicable to both sexes

chairperson

spokesperson

2

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

3

a

: 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

4

a

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

personhood

ˈpər-sᵊn-ˌhu̇d 

noun

Phrases

in person

: in one's bodily presence

the movie star appeared in person

Synonyms

• baby
• being
• bird
• bod [British]
• body
• character
• cookie
• cooky
• creature
• customer
• devil
• duck
• egg
• face
• fish
• guy
• head
• human
• human being
• individual
• life
• man
• mortal
• party
• personage
• scout
• slob
• sort
• soul
• specimen
• stiff
• thing
• wight

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.

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Recent Examples on the Web

One person reportedly submitted a bid for $1.35 million, or 90 percent of the low estimate, for the car, but the supercar’s owner said no thanks. —Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 4 Dec. 2023

Despite the fact that 1.75 million people received hospice care in the United States last year, there is still a cruel misconception associated with it: entering hospice seems to be an assertion that the person is giving up on life, or is mere moments from death. —Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2023

The previous board and the returning CEO agreed to also conduct an independent probe into Altman’s conduct, last week’s board decision to oust him and the aftermath, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing a person familiar with the situation. —Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Nov. 2023

Participants look forward to the goofy costumes and collective endorphin rush; detractors consider the type of person who would voluntarily trade the extra holiday sleep for a cold jog that costs money to be a different species entirely. —Taylor Kay Phillips, The Atlantic, 21 Nov. 2023

From David Bowie to Cardi B, Pepsi is not a brand that has said, this is the only kind of person that can represent us. —Steve Simoncic, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2023

Where to Buy 2023 NWSL Championship Tickets Online Want to catch all of the soccer action in person? —Rudie Obias, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Nov. 2023

Admission is free; reservation not necessary if attending in person. —Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Nov. 2023

Many media analysts who have covered Jezebel, which was founded in 2007, assume that a person like me at that time—a confused almost-adult with right-wing leanings—would have found the site alienating. —Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 10 Nov. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French persone, from Latin persona actor's mask, character in a play, person, probably from Etruscan phersu mask, from Greek prosōpa, plural of prosōpon face, mask — more at prosopopoeia

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing person

• a man/woman/person of substance
• a man/woman/person to be reckoned with
• business person
• a man/woman/person to reckon with
• first person
• first-person shooter
• congress person
• on someone's person
• night person
• missing person report
• in the person of
• little person
• the next man/person
• second person
• super-person
• point person
• person-to-person
• person of interest
• person of color
• person-hour
• people person
• not one person
• third person
• the same (thing) goes for (another person)
• the only (person or thing) for
• camera person
• cleaning person
• morning person
• in person

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• a man/woman/person of substance
• a man/woman/person to be reckoned with
• business person
• a man/woman/person to reckon with
• first person
• first-person shooter
• congress person
• on someone's person
• night person
• missing person report
• in the person of
• little person
• the next man/person
• second person
• super-person
• point person
• person-to-person
• person of interest
• person of color
• person-hour
• people person
• not one person
• third person
• the same (thing) goes for (another person)
• the only (person or thing) for
• camera person
• cleaning person
• morning person
• in person

See More

Kids Definition

person

noun

per·​son ˈpərs-ᵊn 

1

: human being, individual

—used in combination especially by those who prefer to avoid man in compounds that apply to both sexes

chairperson

2

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

3

: the body of a human being

4

: reference to the speaker, to one spoken to, or to one spoken of as indicated especially by means of certain pronouns

Etymology

Middle English person "human being," from early French persone (same meaning), from Latin persona "person, character in a play," originally "an actor's mask"

Legal Definition

person

noun

per·​son

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

personhood noun