Etymology Explorer › Medieval Latin

Where does “persona” come from?

persona (Medieval Latin) comes from Latin persōna, from Etruscan 𐌘𐌄𐌓𐌔𐌖, from Ancient Greek πρόσωπον, from Ancient Greek ὤψ, from Proto-Hellenic ókʷs, from Proto-Indo-European h₃ókʷs, from Proto-Indo-European h₃ekʷ- — to see; eye.

persona (Medieval Latin): parson, person; mask; character

Definitions

  1. parson, person; mask; character

Ancestry of “persona”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinpersōna—
2Etruscan𐌘𐌄𐌓𐌔𐌖a mask; a masked individual, often performing in...
3Ancient Greekπρόσωπονface, visage, countenance; front; mask
4Ancient Greekὤψto the eye; in the face; eye
5Proto-Hellenicókʷs—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ókʷseye
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ekʷ-to see; eye

Words derived from “persona”

  • person
  • parson
  • salesperson
  • personification
  • townspeople
  • parsonage
  • personhood
  • chairperson
  • personify
  • layperson
  • impersonate
  • businessperson
  • impersonator
  • foreperson
  • craftsperson
  • congressperson
  • nonperson
  • sportsperson
  • countrypeople
  • clergyperson
  • multiperson
  • anchorperson
  • cameraperson
  • repairperson
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃ekʷ- →