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illustration Personage

Personage

[PəR-sən-ij]

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, mid 15th century

1.

A person (used to express importance or elevated status)

2.

A character in a play or other work.

Examples of Personage in a sentence

"She carried herself as a personage of great importance."

"Daniel received praise for how easily he slipped into various personages — humorous, serious, and tragic."

About Personage

Personage developed in Old Middle English by way of Old French, but it can be traced back to the Latin word "personagium," which means "effigy." Then the representation gained the meanings of "honorable" and "eminent" — raising the word to an elevated status all its own.

Did you Know?

TIME Magazine chooses the most Influential Person of the Year. While the general reader's poll has some influence on the selection, the final list of personages is handpicked and evaluated by TIME editors.

illustration Personage

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