impersonal C1 Topic:Grammar & Function Words US /ɪmˈpɝsənəl/ See IPA manual Freq #26897 Meanings 1 adj Cold and unfriendly; not showing warmth or feeling. The hotel staff were efficient but impersonal, barely making eye contact. 2 adj Not aimed at or connected to any particular person. He gave an impersonal criticism that applied to the whole team. 3 adj In grammar, having no real subject, like the verb in "It's raining." The verb "rain" is impersonal in sentences like "It's raining." Thesaurus Synonyms 2 adj · not aimed at or connected... neutral Word family Derived forms impersonaliseimpersonalismimpersonalistimpersonalityimpersonalizationimpersonalizeimpersonallyimpersonalnessultraimpersonal Related forms personal Common collocations impersonal corporation Adjective + noun Etymology AI details From French impersonnel, from Latin impersōnālis, from im- (“not”) + persōnālis (“personal”), equivalent to im- + personal. impersonnel French impersōnālis Latin View etymology graph -> Topics Grammar & Function Words Word Formation & Derivatives External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # impersonal **Type:** Word **Level:** C1 **Part of speech:** adj **IPA (US):** /ɪmˈpɝsənəl/ **Frequency rank:** 26897 ## Meanings 1. Cold and unfriendly; not showing warmth or feeling. 2. Not aimed at or connected to any particular person. 3. In grammar, having no real subject, like the verb in "It's raining." ## Examples - The hotel staff were efficient but impersonal, barely making eye contact. - He gave an impersonal criticism that applied to the whole team. - The verb "rain" is impersonal in sentences like "It's raining." ## Derived Forms - impersonalise - impersonalism - impersonalist - impersonality - impersonalization - impersonalize - impersonally - impersonalness - ultraimpersonal ## Related Forms - personal ## Roots and Affixes - Root: impersonnel - Root: impersōnālis ## Etymology From French impersonnel, from Latin impersōnālis, from im- (“not”) + persōnālis (“personal”), equivalent to im- + personal. ## AI Etymology Impersonal is from French impersonnel, from Latin impersōnālis, from im- (“not”) + persōnālis (“personal”), equivalent to im- + personal. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern adjectival form is built from the named base and affix. In present-day use, it can mean cold and unfriendly; not showing warmth or feeling, or not aimed at or connected to any particular person. Related forms include personal. Derived formations include impersonalise, impersonalism, impersonalist, impersonality, impersonalization. ## Topics - Grammar & Function Words - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown