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Where does the word "person" come from? It comes from Latin persona, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
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Where does the word "person" come from? It comes from Latin persona, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
Person’s story begins in Latin: persona meant “mask; character.” An actor's mask, possibly from Etruscan 'phersu'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as persone. Also gave 'parson', the chief person of a parish. It reached English by 1200s as person. 'personality' followed in the 1300s. Today, person means a human being as an individual.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient persona "mask; character", an actor's mask, possibly from Etruscan 'phersu'.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval persone "human being", also gave 'parson', the chief person of a parish.
- Stage 3 · English · 1200s person "a human being", 'personality' followed in the 1300s.