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

Other Words from person Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about 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 That would easily make Gilbert, who made most of his fortune as the co-founder of Quicken Loans but also has several other business interests, the wealthiest person in Ohio. — Cliff Pinckard, cleveland, "Cavs owner Dan Gilbert ranks 23rd on Forbes billionaires list; Les Wexner is Ohio’s wealthiest," 9 Apr. 2021 Clear blue skies and a shiny sun are enveloping the comfy Pharmalot campus, where the short person is hunched over a laptop and the spirited official mascot is chasing varmints. — Ed Silverman, STAT, "Pharmalittle: EMA official says link exists between AstraZeneca Covid-19 shot and rare blood clots; Catalent to boost Moderna vaccine production," 9 Apr. 2021 That’s important because the function of a store associate in a place made to engage and entertain is different than the person whose main skill is to ring up your purchases or tell you which aisles have what. — Richard Kestenbaum, Forbes, "Retailers Want Smaller Stores But Dick’s Sporting Goods Is Testing A Bigger One. What Are They Thinking?," 9 Apr. 2021 Police have not identified the person who was killed or the injured. — Ryan W. Miller, USA TODAY, "Texas workplace shooting: 1 dead and multiple people shot, including state trooper; suspect charged with murder," 9 Apr. 2021 The instructor wanted the students to write as if the person following it had never read a recipe. — Los Angeles Times, "Chefs and cooks in the disability community share recipes for accessibility," 9 Apr. 2021 Under Oregon law, individuals who ask for their bills to be submitted to the state are not responsible for most costs associated with forensic examinations, even if the person decides not to report the assault to police. — oregonlive, "Portland woman says she was billed by Kaiser, pursued by bill collector for her rape exam," 9 Apr. 2021 And Lydia has been conceived as just another version of the not-very-bright but essentially good-hearted person McCarthy has played before, particularly in the dismal Tammy, which she and Falcone, who is her husband, cowrote. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, "Even the Subpar Superhero Comedy Thunder Force Can't Fully Extinguish Melissa McCarthy's Gifts," 9 Apr. 2021 Shorewood police are searching for the person who poured paint on the windows of a local business to cover signs supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and Asian equality. — Eddie Morales, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Vandalism at Shorewood’s Cloud Red social house was 'an attack against the BLM movement,' owners say," 9 Apr. 2021

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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Last Updated

11 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Person.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/person. Accessed 20 Apr. 2021.

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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

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