Personality
/ˌpɜːrsəˈnæləti/
Definitions
2 meaningsThe unique pattern of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that distinguish one person from another.
/ˌpɜːrsəˈnæləti/
The combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual's distinctive character.
His strong personality often influenced group decisions.
💡 Simply: Your personality is like your own personal recipe that makes you *you*. It's all your special ingredients—like being funny, shy, or brave—mixed together!
👶 For kids: Your personality is everything that makes you, YOU!
More Examples
She has a warm and friendly personality, making her easy to get along with.
The detective studied the criminal's personality to anticipate their next move.
How It's Used
"Psychologists study personality traits to understand human behavior."
"Her outgoing personality made her popular with everyone."
A well-known or celebrated person.
/ˌpɜːrsəˈnæləti/
A celebrity or famous person.
The fashion magazine featured several personalities on its cover.
💡 Simply: Sometimes, 'personality' can mean a famous person, like a movie star or a TV host. They're personalities because everyone knows who they are!
👶 For kids: A famous person is a personality.
More Examples
The news reported on the latest controversies involving public personalities.
She dreamed of becoming a recognized personality in the art world.
How It's Used
"The award show celebrated prominent personalities in the film industry."
"The talk show host interviewed various personalities."
Idioms & expressions
larger than life personality
A person who is very exciting, impressive, and memorable.
"He has a larger-than-life personality, and people are naturally drawn to him."
split personality
A now outdated term used to describe a person who experiences episodes of multiple distinct personalities.
"The character in the book showed signs of a split personality, constantly changing behaviors."
From Late Latin *personalitas*, from *personalis* ('personal'), from *persona* ('mask, character'). The word evolved to encompass the distinctive qualities of an individual.
The word 'personality' has been used to describe the characteristics of individuals since the 18th century, evolving from its earlier association with identity and character.
Memory tip
Think of a PERSON and how unique they are. Your personality is your unique PERSON-ality!
Word Origin
"persona ('mask, character')"