Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Personage

Per′son-age

(pẽr′sŭn-ā̍j: 48)
,
Noun.
[F.
personnage
.]
1.
Form, appearance, or belongings of a person; the external appearance, stature, figure, air, and the like, of a person.
“In personage stately.”
Hayward.
The damsel well did view his
personage
.
Spenser.
2.
Character assumed or represented.
“The actors and personages of this fable.”
Broome.
“Disguised in a false personage.”
Addison.
3.
A notable or distinguished person; a conspicuous or peculiar character;
as, an illustrious
personage
; a comely
personage
of stature tall.
Spenser.

Webster 1828 Edition


Personage

PER'SONAGE

,
Noun.
A man or woman of distinction; as an illustrious personage.
1.
Exterior appearance; stature; air; as a tall personage; a stately personage.
2.
Character assumed.
The Venetians,naturally grave,love to give in to the follies of such seasons, when disguised in a false personage.
3.
Character represented.
Some persons must be found, already known in history,whom we may make the actors and personages of this fable.

Definition 2024


personage

personage

English

Noun

personage (plural personages)

  1. A famous or important person.
    • 1872, Oliver Wendell Holmes [Sr.], The Poet at the Breakfast-Table, page 230:
      I can only say they have been in pretty close conversation several times of late, and, if I dared to think it of so very calm and dignified a personage, I should say that her color was a little heightened after one or more of these interviews.
  2. The creation of corporate persons named after living people.

Usage notes

  • (a famous or important person): In modern use, the noun personage is typically used with a partially redundant adjective, such as "notable" or "great"; as such, it may fairly be said to mean simply "person".

Translations


Dutch

Pronunciation

Hyphenation: per‧so‧na‧ge

Etymology

Borrowing from French personnage.

Noun

personage n (plural personages)

  1. Character in a work of fiction.
    Iago is een personage in Shakespeares Othello.
    Iago is a character in Shakespeare's Othello.