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

And even for the more casual, the silent observer who knows nothing about World of Warcraft or each content creator’s persona, the interpersonal drama is enough to keep them coming back for more. —Kazuma Hashimoto, Rolling Stone, 2 Jan. 2025

With her new collab, the artist hopes to create memories with her fans in different ways, while maintaining her playful persona. —Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Dec. 2024

As the men talked over lunch, Sanders explained that his flamboyant persona was a marketing vehicle. —Emmanuel Morgan, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024

Sam's memory—and her Charly persona—returns with a vengeance after she's tortured by a former target named Daedalus (David Morse). —Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 24 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin

First Known Use

1732, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing persona

• in propria persona
• persona grata
• persona non grata

Medical 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