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

Israel responded with the persona non grata declaration, effectively banning him from entering its borders. —Peter Aitken, Fox News, 2 Oct. 2024

Even with Sterling now seemingly persona non grata, Maresca has Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku, Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Marc Guiu, Jackson and Neto to choose from in advanced roles. —Simon Johnson, The Athletic, 21 Aug. 2024

That this feel-good independent success story remains a relative persona non grata around the stations dedicated to playing music like his gives the lie to the notion that radio is chiefly a business of promoting the music most people want to hear. —Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 11 July 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, unacceptable person

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above