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personificationThe attribution of human characteristics to something non-human, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form

Part of speech: NOUN

Definition: The attribution of human characteristics to something non-human, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form

Pronunciation (IPA): /pərˌsɑːnɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/

Example Sentences

  • My alarm clock screams at me every morning like an angry boss.
  • The old house groaned and complained about its creaky joints.
  • Time is often described as the personification of an old man with a scythe.

personification

NOUN

[/pərˌsɑːnɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/]

The attribution of human characteristics to something non-human, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form

The old oak became a personification of wisdom, with kind eyes and a knowing smile.
💡 Concept

The old oak became a personification of wisdom, with kind eyes and a knowing smile.

Personification bridges communication and education!
🎵 Rhyme

Personification bridges communication and education!

Got the picture? Now let's practice.

🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/pərˌsɑːnɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
🇬🇧 UK/pəˌsɒnɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/

🌳Etymology

Rootperson
Suffix--ification

Origin

From Latin personificatio, derived from persona (person, mask, character) and facere (to make, to do). The term literally means 'to make into a person' and developed to describe the literary and rhetorical device of attributing human qualities to non-human entities.

Breakdown

persona (person) + facere (to make) + -fication (the act or process of making). The suffix -fication derives from Latin -ficatio, combining facere with the nominalization suffix -tion.

🎵Rhyme

communicationeducationinformationorganization
communication
education
information
organization

🔗Collocations

use personification
literary personification
personification of evil
poetic personification
vivid personification

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

My alarm clock screams at me every morning like an angry boss.

😄 Fun example

The old house groaned and complained about its creaky joints.

Time is often described as the personification of an old man with a scythe.

The stars danced playfully in the night sky.

📚Related Words

Synonyms

humanizationanthropomorphismembodiment

Antonyms

dehumanizationobjectification

Related

metaphorsimileallegorysymbolismfigure of speech

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