personification

noun

per·​son·​i·​fi·​ca·​tion pər-ˌsä-nə-fə-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce personification (audio)
1
: attribution of personal qualities
especially : representation of a thing or abstraction as a person or by the human form
2
: a divinity or imaginary being representing a thing or abstraction
3

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The Art of Personification

It was long common in the visual arts to use human figures to represent a range of natural phenomena, personal qualities, abstract conceptions, and so on. The Greeks and Romans showed us how. Many of their gods and goddesses themselves represented a single thing, be it dawn (Eos, Aurora), wisdom (Athena, Minerva), or war (Ares, Mars); when depicted in idealized human form (as, say, a stately woman holding a scales), each became a personification of that phenomenon or quality or concept (in this case, Justice). Inspired by classical art, Renaissance painters and sculptors likewise began producing thousands of artistic personifications--of Time, or Folly, or France, or Vice, or Poetry, or the Americas. And in the 18th century English-speakers began using the word itself. Today artists are less inclined to such depictions, and the word gets used more often to describe actual individuals; when we call someone the personification of style, or greed, or loyalty, we mean the ideal or epitome or embodiment of that quality.

Examples of personification in a Sentence

the use of personification in a story a personification of justice as a woman with her eyes covered
Recent Examples on the Web We’re used to thinking of Joe Biden—first elected to the Senate in 1972—as the personification of a career public servant. Bill McKibben, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 But there is still value in the movie star, a personification of our ideas about power and art, onscreen and off. Vulture, 2 Feb. 2024 In 1916, Marshal Philippe Pétain, the hero of Verdun, had become the personification of a France that would never submit to German aggression. Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 21 Dec. 2023 For Putin, who fears instability above anything else, Lenin as the personification of the revolutionary change represents the existential threat to his rule. Elliott Goat, The Week Uk, theweek, 18 Jan. 2024 In an email, Grede expresses that Monét is the personification of empowerment. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 8 Feb. 2024 Of course, the very idea of a narcissistic billionaire like Trump as the personification of the interests and values of an Iowa waitress or a New Hampshire plumber, or as a political figure willing to sacrifice himself for a larger cause—that is perhaps the biggest absurdity of all. John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2024 Trump used a lot of hyperbole to promote his pet project and was prone to describe the barrier as the personification of his presidency. Nick Miroff, Washington Post, 12 Oct. 2023 Hungry, wolf-life Mammon remains a potent personification of avarice, of the prodigious hoarding of resources. TIME, 28 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'personification.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1728, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of personification was in 1728

Dictionary Entries Near personification

Cite this Entry

“Personification.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/personification. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

personification

noun
per·​son·​i·​fi·​ca·​tion pər-ˌsän-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce personification (audio)
1
: the representation of a thing or idea as a person or by the human form
2
: an imaginary being thought of as representing a thing or an idea
Uncle Sam is the personification of the U.S.
3
: a perfect example : embodiment
you are the very personification of generosity
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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