persona

noun

per·​so·​na pər-ˈsō-nə How to pronounce persona (audio)
-ˌnä
plural personae pər-ˈsō-(ˌ)nē How to pronounce persona (audio)
-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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The director recognized a dimension in the actor no one had seen before, and Hawke seems to relish accessing that darker part of his persona. Peter Debruge, Variety, 8 Oct. 2025 The 45-year-old actor has always projected a sort of likable, hunky lunkhead persona, giving the movies their equivalent of the campus jock that secretly had a sly sense of self-deprecating humor and theater-department chops. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025 Her acting seems to meld the persona and the personal—a photogenic clarity and stillness that draws on a deep well of human emotion. Wendell Steavenson, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2025 He's clearly put in the work to become recognized as one of WWE's top performers, especially with his heel persona. Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for persona

Word History

Etymology

Latin

First Known Use

1732, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of persona was in 1732

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Persona.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/persona. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.

Medical Definition

persona

noun
per·​so·​na pər-ˈsō-nə, -ˌnä How to pronounce persona (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on persona

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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