Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To think of or represent (an inanimate object or abstraction) as having personality or the qualities, thoughts, or movements of a living being.
  • transitive verb To represent (an object or abstraction) by a human figure.
  • transitive verb To represent (an abstract quality or idea).
  • transitive verb To be the embodiment or perfect example of.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To treat or regard as a person; represent as a rational being; treat, for literary purposes, as if endowed with the sentiments, actions, or language of a rational being or person, or, for artistic purposes, as if having a human form and nature.
  • To impersonate; be an impersonation or embodiment of: as, he personifies all that is mean.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To regard, treat, or represent as a person; to represent as a rational being.
  • transitive verb To be the embodiment or personification of; to impersonate.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive To be an example of; to have all the attributes of.
  • verb transitive To create a representation of an abstract quality in the form of a literary character.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb invest with or as with a body; give body to
  • verb represent, as of a character on stage
  • verb attribute human qualities to something

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French personnifier, from personne, person, from Old French persone; see person.]

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Examples

  • Mr. Polshek said he had been preparing for his transition out of the firm for years and had seen firsthand the downside of having one name personify a practice.

    NYT > Home Page By ROBIN POGREBIN 2010

  • These players personify strength, resilience, and a certain kind of footballing integrity in sufficient quantity to overcome individual defects, such as Robson's drinking or Cantona's quixotic nature.

    Arsène Wenger's real blind spot is the Arsenal captaincy | Richard Williams 2011

  • Palin, who helped put the Tea Party on the map, and her protegee O'Donnell, best personify the new breed of Republican: charming, attractive, angry non-intellects who mock education, science and logic, while claiming "I am you" in an effort to identify with average voters.

    Andy Ostroy: The Midterms: It's the Stupidity , Stupid Andy Ostroy 2010

  • Palin, who helped put the Tea Party on the map, and her protegee O'Donnell, best personify the new breed of Republican: charming, attractive, angry non-intellects who mock education, science and logic, while claiming "I am you" in an effort to identify with average voters.

    Andy Ostroy: The Midterms: It's the Stupidity , Stupid Andy Ostroy 2010

  • Palin, who helped put the Tea Party on the map, and her protegee O'Donnell, best personify the new breed of Republican: charming, attractive, angry non-intellects who mock education, science and logic, while claiming "I am you" in an effort to identify with average voters.

    Andy Ostroy: The Midterms: It's the Stupidity , Stupid Andy Ostroy 2010

  • If you personify the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, and self-control—everything you do will have a positive impact for God as well as for everyone in your life.

    Recovering From Religious Abuse Jack Watts 2011

  • Steve: it is quote common to personify firms this way in the English language to refer to the owners and/or managers of thefirm.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » Anti-Wal-Mart Astroturf 2010

  • Palin, who helped put the Tea Party on the map, and her protegee O'Donnell, best personify the new breed of Republican: charming, attractive, angry non-intellects who mock education, science and logic, while claiming "I am you" in an effort to identify with average voters.

    Andy Ostroy: The Midterms: It's the Stupidity , Stupid Andy Ostroy 2010

  • Steve says: it is quote common to personify firms this way in the English language to refer to the owners and/or managers of thefirm.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » Anti-Wal-Mart Astroturf 2010

  • Palin, who helped put the Tea Party on the map, and her protegee O'Donnell, best personify the new breed of Republican: charming, attractive, angry non-intellects who mock education, science and logic, while claiming "I am you" in an effort to identify with average voters.

    Andy Ostroy: The Midterms: It's the Stupidity , Stupid Andy Ostroy 2010

Comments

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  • The very word that neutered himify and herify.

    February 16, 2008