gender-neutral alternative to chairman, chairwoman, by 1971, American English, from chair (n.) + person.

1620s, "represent in bodily form," from assimilated form of Latin in- "into, in" (from PIE root *en "in") + persona "person" (see person (n.)). The sense of "assume the person or character of" is recorded by 1715; earlier in that sense was personate (1610s). Related: Impersonated; impersonating.

1911 (OED finds an isolated use from 1842), from inter- "between" + person (n.) + -al. Introduced in psychology (1938) by H.S. Sullivan (1892-1949) to describe behavior between people in an encounter. Related: Interpersonally.

late 13c., person (late 12c. as a surname), "parish priest" (later often applied to a clergyman in general), from Anglo-French and Old French persone "curate, parson, holder of Church office" (12c.), from Medieval Latin persona "parson" (see person). The reason for the ecclesiastical use is obscure; it might refer to the "person" legally holding church property, or it may be an abbreviation of persona ecclesiae "person of the church." The shift to a spelling with -a- begins late 13c. in surnames. Related: Parsonic.  Parson's nose "the rump of a fowl" is attested by 1834.

1917, "outward or social personality," a Jungian psychology term, from Latin persona "person" (see person). Used earlier (1909) by Ezra Pound in the sense "literary character representing voice of the author." Persona grata is Late Latin, literally "an acceptable person," originally applied to diplomatic representatives acceptable to the governments to which they were sent; hence also persona non grata (plural personæ non gratæ).

"pleasing in one's person, of good appearance," mid-15c., from person + -able, or else from Old French personable. Related: Personably.

mid-15c., "body of a person" (with regard to appearance), also "notable person, a man or woman of high rank or distinction," from Old French personage "size, stature," also "a dignitary" (13c.), from Medieval Latin personaticum (11c.), from Latin persona (see person). As a longer way to say person, the word was in use from 1550s (but often slyly ironical, with suggestion that the subject is overly self-important).

late 14c., "private, pertaining to the self or to a self-conscious individual; performed by the individual himself," from Old French personal (12c., Modern French personnel), from Late Latin personalis "pertaining to a person," from Latin persona (see person).

The meaning "applicable to, directed at, or aimed at some particular person" (usually in a hostile manner) is attested from 1610s. Designating an official or employee attached to one's person (as in personal secretary) by 1928.

The noun sense of "newspaper item about private matters" is attested from 1888. As "a classified ad addressed to an individual," it is recorded from 1861. Personal computer is from 1976.

"quality or condition of being an individual person," 1878, from person + -hood.

1727 "to attribute personal form to inanimate objects or abstractions" (especially as an artistic or literary technique), from person + -fy or from French personnifier (17c.), from personne. Meaning "to represent, embody" attested from 1806. Related: Personified; personifying.