personal

views updated May 17 2018

per·son·al / ˈpərsənəl/ • adj. 1. of, affecting, or belonging to a particular person rather than to anyone else: her personal fortune was recently estimated at $37 million. ∎  done or made by a particular person; involving the actual presence or action of a particular individual: the president and his wife made personal appearances for the reelection of the state governor. ∎  done, intended, or made for a particular person: a personal loan.2. of or concerning one's private life, relationships, and emotions rather than matters connected with one's public or professional career: the book describes his acting career and gives little information about his personal life. ∎  referring to an individual's character, appearance, or private life, esp. in a hostile or critical way: his personal remarks about Mr. Mellor's work ethic were unprofessional you look like a drowned rat—nothing personal.3. of or relating to a person's body: personal hygiene.4. Gram. of or denoting one of the three persons. See person (sense 2).5. existing as a self-aware entity, not as an abstraction or an impersonal force: Jews, Christians, and Muslims believe in a personal God.• n. an advertisement or message in the personal column of a newspaper; personal ad. ∎  (personals) another term for personal column.