An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

1. A human being, whether man, woman, or child as distinguished from an animal or a thing.
   

2. Philosophy: A self-conscious or rational being.
   

3. Grammar: Any one of three forms of verbs and pronouns used to denote the speaker, the person addressed, or somebody else being referred to.
   

4. Law: A living human being or a group, either or both having legal rights and responsibilities.
   

See also:
→ personal, → personal equation, → personality.

Etymology (EN): M.E. persone, from O.Fr. persone “human being,” from L. persona “human being,” originally “character in a drama, mask,” possibly borrowed from Etruscan phersu “mask,” from Gk. prosopa
“face; mask” + -na a suffix.

Etymology (PE): Tanum, from O.Pers. and Av., related to Mod./Mid.Pers. tan “body, person,” O.Pers. tanūš “body,” tanūm [acc.sg.] “(to) onself;” Av. tanū- “body, person, self,” tanūm [acc.sg.]; cf. Skt. tanūš- “body, self;” PIE base *ten-uh- “body.”