DictionaryAI

personality

noun
Saypur-suh-NAL-uh-teeUS/ˌpɝ.səˈnæl.ə.ti/UK/pɜː.səˈnæl.ə.tɪ/

Pluralpersonalities

9 meanings of personality

Practice

  1. 1
    person's naturenouncountable or uncountable
    The mix of feelings, habits, and ways of acting that make you different from other people.

    Like a fingerprint, it belongs to you alone.

    Her warm personality makes everyone feel welcome.

    The twins look alike but have very different personalities.

    UsageSay she has a warm personality. For the idea in general, no "a": personality changes with age.

    Similarcharacter, nature, temperament, disposition, makeup

    Note
  2. 2
    celebritynouncountable
    A famous person, such as an actor, singer, or sports star, who often appears on TV or in other media.

    Like a star you often see on TV.

    A famous personality opened the new mall.

    She became a sports personality after winning gold.

    UsageOften TV personality or sports personality.

    Similarcelebrity, star, figure, name

  3. 3
    noununcountable
    A strong, lively quality that makes someone stand out and draw attention.

    Like a bright color in a gray room that catches your eye.

    That singer has so much personality on stage.

    You need real personality to host a live show.

    UsageSay she has personality or a lot of personality, without "a".

    Similarcharisma, charm, presence, magnetism

    Note
  4. 4
    nouncountable or uncountable
    The special qualities that make a thing feel interesting or different from others.

    Like a room full of fun things instead of bare white walls.

    This old café has a lot of personality.

    They chose plain furniture with no personality at all.

    UsageA place can have a lot of personality or no personality.

    Similarcharacter

  5. 5
    false frontnouncountable
    A way of acting that someone puts on, instead of their real self.

    Like wearing a mask that hides who you really are.

    On camera she switches to a cheerful personality.

    Her online personality is loud, but at home she is quiet.

    UsageOften online personality or on-air personality.

    Similarpersona, role, character

  6. 6
    noununcountable
    In law, being treated as a person with its own rights and duties, as a company is.

    When the club became a company, it gained legal personality and could buy its own building.

    A business with legal personality can sign contracts in its own name.

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 7
    insulting remarknoundatedusually plural
    A personal remark, usually an insulting one, aimed at a particular person rather than at an idea.
    Sharp personalities were exchanged.
    1849, Thomas Babington Macaulay, The History of England from the Accession of James the SecondHere, personalities means rude remarks aimed at a person, not the issue.
    Perceiving that personalities were not out of order, I asked him what species of beast had long ago twisted and mutilated his left ear.
    1905, O. Henry, Telemachus

    Similarinsult, aspersion, slur, slight

    Note
  2. 8
    breastsnounslangeuphemistichumorousuncountable
    A joking word for a woman's breasts.

    The tight shirt showed off her personality.

    He kept glancing at her personality during dinner.

    Similarboobs, breasts, bust, bosom, boobies

    Note
  3. 9
    noun
    In law, the quality of a law that deals with a person's status, condition, and what they are legally able to do.

Practice

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Origin

It came from Latin "personalitas" and was used in English by around 1350–1400. It looks like "personal" plus "-ity".