personality

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The ego in his turn puts down part of himself for the same purpose into lower worlds, and we call that part a personality, because the Latin word persona means a mask, and this personality is the mask which the ego puts upon himself when he manifests in worlds lower than his own.

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Definitions (22)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (8)

  1. noun The quality or condition of being a person.
  2. noun The totality of qualities and traits, as of character or behavior, that are peculiar to a specific person.
  3. noun The pattern of collective character, behavioral, temperamental, emotional, and mental traits of a person: Though their personalities differed, they got along as friends.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (11)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

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Examples (50)

  • It seemed so obvious that in politics an issue was an issue and a personality was a personality, and that the more one could separate the two, the more serious one was. —  Original Signal - Transmitting Buzz
  • From his instrument, his bow, his fingers, himself, went out a strange, mesmeric influence that seemed to stretch over the House, the audience, bending it, forcing it to his will; compelling it to his mood As he played on and on, the influence grew stronger, more pervading, until his personality was as a giant and the audience pigmies at his feet, sobbing as his Stradivarius sobbed; laughing when it laughed; crying out with joy, or with pain, with frenzy or delight, as his bow rent the strings. —  The Black Cross
  • The production of such a personality was an effort of humanity; and, should he be snatched away before his time, not only England, but all the world must mourn his loss When he was required to show the gravity of a king, he would appear to be an old man. —  Jerome Cardan A Biographical Study
  • Back of the personality is the soul itself, forever seeking utterance through its mask of personality. —  Resonance in Singing and Speaking
  • The woman who neglected her home because she needed a "wider sphere" in which to develop her personality was a champion of women's rights, a pioneer of enlightenment. —  A Student in Arms Second Series
 

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Words tagged personality

abilities · idée fixe · agreeableness · credentialist · ethnic identity · birthplace · goals · national identity · continuity · personal narrative · timeline

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This word has been looked up 331 times.

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Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

Allen's Allen's Synonyms and Antonyms

Used in the same context Used in the Same Context

character ·  emotion ·  genius ·  reality ·  beauty ·  temperament ·  attitude ·  self ·  behavior ·  consciousness ·  imagination ·  aspect

Used in the same contextWord Family

personality:   personalities
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English personalite, from Old French, from Late Latin persōnālitās, from Latin persōnālis, personal, from persōna, person; see person.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. from French personnalité = Pr.personalitat = Spanish personalidad = Portuguese personalidade = Italian personalità, from Middle Latin personalita(t-)s, from Late Latin personalis, personal: see person. Cf. personalty.
 

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/pərsəˈnæləti/
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