impersonal

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

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

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

impersonal corporation
A large company that seems indifferent to individual people or their circumstances.

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From French impersonnel, from Latin impersōnālis, from im- (“not”) + persōnālis (“personal”), equivalent to im- + personal.

impersonnel French impersōnālis Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Language & Linguistics Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# 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
- Describing Qualities
- Language & Linguistics
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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