persona non grata

noun

per·​so·​na non gra·​ta pər-ˈsō-nə-ˌnän-ˈgra-tə  -ˈgrä- 

plural personae non gratae pər-ˈsō-(ˌ)nē-ˌnän-ˈgra-(ˌ)tē 

-ˈgrä-,

-ˌnī-,

-ˌtī

: a person who is unacceptable or unwelcome

Luis Villoro is hardly a persona non grata. As he approaches the age of eighty, his position in the intelligentsia is secure.

—Scott Sherman

—typically used without a or the

… English scientist James Lovelock, co-author of the Gaia hypothesis and once an environmental demigod. Lovelock has become persona non grata by saying that the ecosphere is so resilient no amount of human malfeasance, including nuclear war, could end life.

—Gregg Easterbrook

"We'd been very good friends for millions of years and I thought it was a bit much for them suddenly to be personae non gratae and out of my life."

—Paul McCartney

Examples of persona non grata in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As Prince’s trajectory illustrates, becoming persona non grata in Washington does not mean unemployment. —Allison Stanger, Foreign Affairs, 16 June 2015

West has been persona non grata in much of mainstream public life after launching a series of antisemitic tirades online in 2022. —Zac Ntim, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2024

Diddy had been a brand persona non grata for nearly 12 months after shocking allegations about his personal life first surfaced. —Mark Faithfull, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024

Obviously, his death is the catalyst for the whole narrative — but the actor from the original film, Jeffrey Jones, is persona non grata. —Mikey O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, unacceptable person

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above