impersonalize
|im-per-son-al-ize|
🇺🇸
/ɪmˈpɝsənəˌlaɪz/
🇬🇧
/ɪmˈpɜːsənəlaɪz/
make not personal / remove personal qualities
Etymology
'impersonalize' originates from English, formed by the negative prefix 'im-' (from Latin 'in-') added to 'personalize', where 'personalize' ultimately derives from Latin 'persona' meaning 'mask' or 'person'.
'impersonalize' was created in modern English by affixing 'im-' to 'personalize'; 'personalize' evolved from Medieval Latin/Old French formations based on Latin 'personalis' (relating to 'persona'), and entered English as 'personalize' before the negative form 'impersonalize' appeared.
Initially formed to mean 'make not personal' in a literal sense; over time it has come to cover a range of uses from removing personal characteristics in behavior or service to grammatical processes that make language impersonal.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
to make impersonal; to remove personal characteristics, warmth, or individuality from someone or something.
Management decided to impersonalize the review process to avoid favoritism.
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Verb 2
in grammar or style, to render a sentence or expression impersonal (for example, by using the passive voice or impersonal constructions).
Writers sometimes impersonalize the text by using passive constructions to emphasize events rather than agents.
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Last updated: 2025/12/03 10:46