person — an individual human being
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: an individual human being
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈpɜːrsən/
Example Sentences
- I'm not a morning person, I'm barely even an afternoon person.
- Each person must bring their own lunch to the picnic.
- The restaurant charges $30 per person for the buffet.
person
NOUN[/ˈpɜːrsən/]
an individual human being
Each person on the busy crosswalk carries their own world inside them.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Latin 'persona', which originally referred to the theatrical masks worn by actors in ancient Greek and Roman drama. Over time, the meaning evolved from 'mask' to 'the actual person behind the mask', eventually developing into the modern sense of 'human being' or 'individual'.
Breakdown
Latin persona (mask, character) → person (human being). The semantic shift reflects a metonymic process where the mask came to represent the character it portrayed, and subsequently the actual person embodying that role.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“I'm not a morning person, I'm barely even an afternoon person.”
“Each person must bring their own lunch to the picnic.”
“The restaurant charges $30 per person for the buffet.”
“My cat thinks he's a person and sits at the dinner table.”
“You need to apply for this job in person, not online.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
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