impersonate

[ verb im-pur-suh-neyt; adjective im-pur-suh-nit ]

verb (used with object)

, im·per·son·at·ed, im·per·son·at·ing.

1. to assume the character or appearance of; pretend to be:

   He was arrested for impersonating a police officer.

2. to mimic the voice, mannerisms, etc., of (a person) in order to entertain.
3. to act or play the part of; personate.
4. Archaic. to represent in personal or bodily form; personify; typify.

adjective

, Archaic or Literary.

1. embodied in a person; invested with personality.

impersonate

/ ɪmˈpɜːsəˌneɪt /

verb

1. to pretend to be (another person)
2. to imitate the character, mannerisms, etc, of (another person)
3. rare.
   to play the part or character of
4. an archaic word for personify

Derived Forms

• imˌpersonˈation, noun
• imˈpersonˌator, noun

Other Words From

• im·per·son·a·tion [im-pur-s, uh, -, ney, -sh, uh, n], noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of impersonate¹

First recorded in 1615–25; im- ¹ + person + -ate ¹

Related Words

• act like
• imitate
• masquerade as
• mimic
• portray
• pose as