persona

noun

per·​so·​na pər-ˈsō-nə How to pronounce persona (audio)
-ˌnä
plural personae pər-ˈsō-(ˌ)nē How to pronounce persona (audio)
-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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
At first glance, Musk’s recent behavior—mocking Trump’s persona and publicly undermining his hallmark tax bill—seems reckless. Joel Shulman, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025 Barlow says in the documentary that diving into his WWE persona seemed to help Flair through. Julie Mazziotta, People.com, 6 June 2025 Both individuals tapped in with their individual style personas while showing up in these fantastic pieces. Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 6 June 2025 California’s two most prominent Democrats remain mum on their future plans, but former Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Gavin Newsom both took time to tend to their political personas in Compton Thursday, attending separate events at local schools. Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for persona

Word History

Etymology

Latin

First Known Use

1732, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of persona was in 1732

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Cite this Entry

“Persona.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/persona. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.

Medical Definition

persona

noun
per·​so·​na pər-ˈsō-nə, -ˌnä How to pronounce persona (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on persona

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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