Persona

/pərˈsoʊ.nə/

Meaning & Definition

noun
The aspect of someone's character that is displayed to or perceived by others.
Her cheerful persona made everyone feel at ease during the meeting.
A character assumed by an author in a written work.
The narrator adopted a cynical persona to convey the themes of the story.
A social mask or facade that an individual presents in public.
He maintained a tough persona to hide his insecurities.
In psychology, it refers to the social face an individual presents to the world as a compromise between the individual's true self and society's expectations.
She crafted a professional persona to advance her career while hiding her more creative side.

Etymology

Latin, meaning 'mask' or 'character'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

public persona:
The image or personality that someone shows to the public.
social persona:
The aspect of an individual's personality that is shaped by social interactions.

Related Words

Slang Meanings

A social personality or character that someone projects, often a more polished version of oneself.
He really knows how to put on a persona when he's networking.
The way someone chooses to present themselves online, often in a curated manner.
Her Instagram persona is totally different from her real life.