person

noun

per·​son ˈpər-sᵊn How to pronounce person (audio)
1
: human, individual
sometimes used in combination especially by those who prefer to avoid man in compounds applicable to both sexes
chairperson
spokesperson
2
: a character or part in or as if in a play : guise
3
a
: one of the three modes of being in the Trinitarian Godhead as understood by Christians
b
: the unitary personality of Christ that unites the divine and human natures
4
a
archaic : bodily appearance
b
: the body of a human being
also : the body and clothing
unlawful search of the person
5
: the personality of a human being : self
6
: one (such as a human being, a partnership, or a corporation) that is recognized by law as the subject of rights and duties
7
: reference of a segment of discourse to the speaker, to one spoken to, or to one spoken of as indicated by means of certain pronouns or in many languages by verb inflection
personhood noun
Phrases
in person
: in one's bodily presence
the movie star appeared in person

Examples of person in a Sentence

She is a very nice person. I saw a person standing on the dock. Any person who wants a refund must have a receipt. Most people here are quite friendly. The tickets are $25 per person. The person at the front desk will be able to help you. The tax break is only applicable to persons in a high income bracket. I like her as a person, but she is not a very good writer. The disease is easily transmitted from person to person. The dogs discovered that the men were hiding drugs about their persons.
Recent Examples on the Web Two callers reported seeing a person in the area at the time of the shooting, the Menlo Park Police Department said in a news release. Jason Green, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024 Aside from regaining his title as the world’s richest person, Bernard Arnault has now received France’s highest honor for his outstanding merits. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 14 Mar. 2024 But as of last week, officials had met in person with only 20 of the 180 schools that had reached out for extra support, according to a senior department official. Zach Montague, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Or an encounter with a person at a party who desperately wants to talk about the banjo. Janay Kingsberry, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 She’s wrapped in a gauzy shawl and curled up barefoot on a couch, far more subdued and cordial in person than her feisty persona, both onscreen and online, might suggest. Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 2024 Who’s the most famous person who came into your store? Stephen Deusner, SPIN, 14 Mar. 2024 As lively as a dead person can get, Morales practically steals the show at times as Zoe. Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 Mar. 2024 The person will be asked questions about his general health to make sure sildenafil is safe to take and the pharmacist will convey which potential side effects to be aware of. Joshua Cohen, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'person.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French persone, from Latin persona actor's mask, character in a play, person, probably from Etruscan phersu mask, from Greek prosōpa, plural of prosōpon face, mask — more at prosopopoeia

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of person was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near person

Cite this Entry

“Person.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/person. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

person

noun
per·​son ˈpərs-ᵊn How to pronounce person (audio)
1
: human being, individual
used in combination especially by those who prefer to avoid man in compounds that apply to both sexes
chairperson
2
: a character or part in or as if in a play
3
: the body of a human being
4
: reference to the speaker, to one spoken to, or to one spoken of as indicated especially by means of certain pronouns
Etymology

Middle English person "human being," from early French persone (same meaning), from Latin persona "person, character in a play," originally "an actor's mask"

Legal Definition

person

noun
per·​son
1
2
: the body of a human being
also : the body and clothing of a human being
had drugs on his person
3
: one (as a human being or corporation) that is recognized by law as the subject of rights and duties see also juridical person, legal person, personality
personhood noun

More from Merriam-Webster on person

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