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
He was once known as one of the East Bay’s best chefs who attracted customers with authentic Italian delicacies and a charming persona to boot.
—
Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026
There is a gentle stoicism to his public persona, although his music erupts from reflectiveness into passion.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 9 Jan. 2026
People will become less impressed by polished, glamorous personas and more attuned to humanitarianism and authenticity with integrity.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
Users upload an image along with a script or voice sample, and generative AI animates the face into a conversational digital persona capable of real-time dialogue.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for persona
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Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026
There is a gentle stoicism to his public persona, although his music erupts from reflectiveness into passion.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 9 Jan. 2026
People will become less impressed by polished, glamorous personas and more attuned to humanitarianism and authenticity with integrity.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
Users upload an image along with a script or voice sample, and generative AI animates the face into a conversational digital persona capable of real-time dialogue.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for persona
Cite this Entry
“Persona.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/persona. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical 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
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