persona

play

noun per·so·na \pər-ˈsō-nə, -ˌnä\

Definition of persona

plural

personae

play \pər-ˈsō-(ˌ)nē, -ˌnī\ or

personas

1 : a character assumed by an author in a written work
2a plural personas [New Latin, from Latin] : an individual's social facade or front that especially in the analytic psychology of C. G. Jung reflects the role in life the individual is playing — compare animab : 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

See persona defined for English-language learners

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 of persona from the Web

Offstage, the members of Salt-N-Pepa have a different persona.

— dinitia smith, Daily Intelligencer, "Straight Outta Queens", 30 June 2017
Like many classic pairings, Gorden-Levitt and Tatum are a yin and yang of modern-day movie stardom — with Gordon-Levitt’s small frame and hipster persona contrasting with Tatum’s specific brand of Magic Mike beefcake.

— maureen lee lenker, EW.com, "Channing Tatum and Joseph Gordon-Levitt's bromance: A history", 29 June 2017
Bobby Drake is a 30-something struggling to deal with the responsibilities of being Iceman, an integral part of the X-Men, while also trying to live outside of that persona and have a personal life.

— judith utz, Teen Vogue, "Best Queer Books to Celebrate Pride 2017", 20 June 2017
All these aforementioned stars had to adopt a sort of fake-newsman persona to thrive in that awkward sphere, and Klepper is no different.

— david sims, The Atlantic, "Is Jordan Klepper the Future of Comedy Central?", 12 June 2017
But Trump offered a persona that fit perfectly with the authoritarian mindset nurtured by television.

— james shanahan, Scientific American, "Does TV Cultivate Authoritarianism?", 10 June 2017
May — known for her resolute and no-nonsense persona — claimed the nation’s top job only last year, emerging from the political wreckage of the country’s choice to leave the European Union.

— griff witte, Washington Post, "Theresa May vows to ‘lead Britain forward’ despite staggering election blow", 9 June 2017
Actress Niecy Nash is best known for her larger-than-life personas on shows like Reno 911!, Clean House, The Soul Man, and Scream Queens — as well as in real life.

— The Cut, "Niecy Nash’s Beauty Routine Involves Drinking Champagne and ‘Making a Lot of Love’", 5 June 2017
His behavior and persona as a player, coach and broadcaster made Piersall a baseball celebrity, often obscuring his athletic achievements.

— paul doyle, courant.com, "Red Sox Hall Of Famer Jimmy Piersall, From Waterbury, Dies At 87", 4 June 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of persona

Latin

NEW!

First Known Use: 1732

See Words from the same year

Other Psychology Terms

fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal

PERSONA Defined for English Language Learners

persona

play

noun

Definition of persona for English Language Learners

: the way you behave, talk, etc., with other people that causes them to see you as a particular kind of person : the image or personality that a person presents to other people

Medical Dictionary

persona

play

noun per·so·na \pər-ˈsō-nə, -ˌnä\

Medical Definition of persona

plural

personas

: an individual's social facade or front that especially in the analytic psychology of C. G. Jung reflects the role in life the individual is playing—compare anima 1