Dictionary

personify en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /pə(ɹ)ˈsɒnɪfaɪ/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From person + -ify, after French personnifier.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To be an example of; to have all the attributes of.
   • Mozart could be said to personify musical genius.
2. (transitive) To create a representation of (an abstract quality) in the form of a character or persona.
   • The writer personified death in the form of the Grim Reaper.
   • If ever any of the girls had taken a fancy to personify their good genius, they would certainly have given to his image all they remembered of "Uncle Frank." 1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter VII, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 73:

Forms

Antonyms

unpersonify · unpersonify

Deriveds

personifier · unpersonified · dispersonify · personifiable

Relateds

personification

Synonyms

embody

Translations (30)

fi henkilöidä (to be an example of) · ru олицетворя́ть (to create a representation in the form of a character) · bg въплъщавам (to create a representation in the form of a character) · kk бейнелеу (to create a representation in the form of a character) · de personifizieren (to create a representation in the form of a character) · es personificar (to be an example of) · hu megszemélyesít (to create a representation in the form of a character) · el προσωποποιώ (to create a representation in the form of a character) · no personifisere (to be an example of) · ca personificar (to be an example of) · gl personificar (to create a representation in the form of a character) · ca personificar (to create a representation in the form of a character) · hu megtestesít (to be an example of) · ru воплоща́ть (to create a representation in the form of a character) · sv personifiera (to be an example of) · sh personificirati (to create a representation in the form of a character) · ru персонифици́ровать (to be an example of) · it personificare (to be an example of) · gl personificar (to be an example of) · fi henkilöidä (to create a representation in the form of a character) · sh personificirati (to be an example of) · fr personnifier (to be an example of) · bg олицетворявам (to be an example of) · de personifizieren (to be an example of) · pl animizować (to create a representation in the form of a character) · sh upriličiti (to create a representation in the form of a character) · kk кейіптеу (to create a representation in the form of a character) · fr personnifier (to create a representation in the form of a character) · es personificar (to create a representation in the form of a character) · cy personoli (to create a representation in the form of a character)