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

These distinct personas or bots interact with customers in fun, human-like ways. —Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025

This is not the voice of either a character or a narrative persona. —Thomas Mallon, New Yorker, 30 June 2025

The themes might verge into oversharing for some, but it’s always been a part of her persona, and the upshot is about confronting, accepting and/or resolving one’s own messiness and starting over (hence the title). —Jem Aswad, Variety, 27 June 2025

Advertisement Hargitay, who would build her own career as an actor on TV’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, never felt comfortable with either her mother’s persona or her life choices. —Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 27 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin

First Known Use

1732, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing persona

• in propria persona
• persona grata
• persona non grata

Rhymes for persona

• annona
• bellona
• cardona
• cinchona
• kimono
• ramona
• belladonna
• desdemona
• bona
• dona
• jonah
• krona

Medical 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