personage etymology

Etymology:

  • Greek: "persona," meaning "mask" or "actor's role"

Meaning:

A "personage" is an individual, often a distinguished or notable figure, with a distinct character or personality. It can also refer to a fictional character in a work of literature, drama, or film.

Origin:

The term "personage" derives from the Greek word "persona," which referred to the masks worn by actors in ancient Greek theater. These masks represented different characters and played a crucial role in defining their personalities and roles in a play. Over time, "persona" came to be used more generally to refer to an individual's character or appearance.

Usage:

In modern English, "personage" is typically used to describe someone who is:

  • Notable or influential: A public figure, celebrity, or expert in a particular field
  • Eccentric or distinctive: An individual with peculiar or memorable characteristics
  • Fictional: A well-developed character in a story, play, or film

Contemporary Examples:

  • "The Prime Minister is a controversial personage, known for his outspoken views."
  • "The protagonist in the novel is an enigmatic personage whose motives remain unclear."
  • "The villain in the movie is a menacing personage who instills fear in the hearts of his victims."

personage relate terms

  • person

    Etymology Latin persona meaning mask or character in a play Meaning An indiv

  • shamus

    Etymology The word shamus is derived from the Irish given name Séamus which is the

  • presence

    Etymology The word presence derives from the Middle English presence which itself co

  • nimbus

    Etymology From Latin nimbus cloud rain cloud storm cloud of uncertain origin Poss

  • adult

    Etymology The word adult originates from the Latin word adultus which means grown

  • name

    Etymology is the study of the origin and development of words It is a branch of historica

  • mane

    Etymology Old English manu Proto Germanic manw Proto Indo European men to th

  • amen

    Etymology Amen originated from the Hebrew word ʾāmēn אָמֵן which is a transl

  • mean

    Etymology Old English mǣne Proto Germanic mainiz Proto Indo European mei to think

  • celebrity

    Etymology The word celebrity derives from the Latin word celebritas which means fam