WordValepersonification
giving human qualities to things or ideas
In more detail
1. (noun) giving human qualities or characteristics to non-human things, such as animals, objects, or ideas
2. (noun) a person who is a perfect example of something
Examples
- In the poem, the wind is personification because it is described as if it could think and feel.
- He is the personification of kindness because he helps everyone he meets.
How to use personification
Personification is a literary and rhetorical device that makes writing more vivid and emotionally engaging by attributing human qualities to abstract concepts, animals, or inanimate objects; it can also describe a person who perfectly represents or embodies a quality or type. In literary contexts, it is a key figurative language technique; in everyday speech, the second sense refers to someone as the ideal example of something.
Common phrases
- literary personification
- use personification
- personification of evil
- personification in poetry
- through personification
Synonyms
anthropomorphism · embodiment · representation · incarnation · epitome
Word family
personify (verb) · personified (adjective) · personifier (noun)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse personification with metaphor or simile; note that personification specifically involves giving human qualities, whereas metaphor is a broader comparison between two unlike things.
Save this word in WordVale and it comes back for review right before you'd forget it — with pronunciation, real examples, and optional translations. One purchase, no subscription.
Get WordValeFREE 7-DAY TRIAL · iPHONE & iPAD