personage

[ pur-suh-nij ]

noun

1. a person of distinction or importance.
2. any person.
3. a character in a play, story, etc.

personage

/ ˈpɜːsənɪdʒ /

noun

1. an important or distinguished person
2. another word for person

   a strange personage

3. rare.
   a figure in literature, history, etc

Other Words From

• non·person·age noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of personage¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English: “body or image (statue, portrait) of a person” (from Old French ), from Medieval Latin persōnāgium. See person, -age

Synonym Study

See person.

Example Sentences

We chronicle, explicate, elucidate and constantly “re-adjudicate” historical events and personages.

From Salon

Mr. Allman introduces us to an eclectic gallery of Miami personages.”

From New York Times

"These films seek to challenge what we think we know about historical personages or important historical incidents. They are out to create a new alt-history."

From BBC

One day, Lockshin and his classmates marched across the cobblestones of Red Square to Vladimir Lenin’s tomb to pay tribute to the waxy corpse of the country’s most sacred personage.

From Los Angeles Times

“She is of a generation that went through that process, and she was an unusual personage in that generation.”

From New York Times

Related Words

• celebrity
• dignitary