personification Definition
- 1the attribution of human characteristics to something nonhuman, such as an animal, object, or idea
- 2a person, animal, or object that represents a concept or idea
Using personification: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "personification" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The sun smiled down on us.
Example
The wind whispered secrets to me.
Example
The flowers danced in the breeze.
Example
The car coughed and spluttered before finally starting.
personification Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for personification
Antonyms for personification
Phrases with personification
Example
The storm clouds seemed angry and ready to burst, a classic example of pathetic fallacy.
the representation of an abstract quality or idea as a person
Example
Justice is often depicted as a blindfolded woman holding scales, an example of abstract personification.
the representation of an abstract quality or idea as a person in an allegory
Example
In 'Animal Farm,' George Orwell uses allegorical personification to represent political figures and concepts.
Origins of personification
from Late Latin 'personificatio', from Latin 'persona' meaning 'person' and 'facere' meaning 'to make'
Summary: personification in Brief
Personification [per-son-uh-fi-key-shuhn] is the attribution of human characteristics to nonhuman things. It can also refer to a person, animal, or object that represents an idea. Examples include 'The sun smiled down on us' and 'The flowers danced in the breeze.' Personification can be used in literature, such as in the form of pathetic fallacy, abstract personification, and allegorical personification.
