impersonation
UK[ɪmˌpɜː.sənˈeɪ.ʃən]US[ɪmˌpɝː.sənˈeɪ.ʃən]
n
The act of pretending to be another person for the purpose of entertainment or fraud.
n
The act of imitating the character or behavior of someone else.
Morpheme Breakdown
im
person
ation
im
into
person
human
ation
action/state
Etymology
The word 'impersonation' is built upon the Latin noun 'persona', which originally referred to a theatrical mask worn by an actor. The prefix 'im-' (a form of 'in-') suggests the action of "putting into" or "taking on" that mask. The suffix '-ation' transforms the verb 'impersonate' into a noun denoting the action or result. Thus, the literal morphemic logic of "putting into a character" evolved from the concrete concept of donning a theatrical mask to the modern abstract meanings of assuming another's identity, whether for artistic performance or deceptive purposes.
Analysis
Structure: im (into) + person (human) + ation (action/state)
- im: A prefix from Latin 'in-', meaning "into, in, on, upon." In this context, it signifies "taking on the character of."
- person: From Latin 'persona', meaning "mask, character, person." It refers to the individual whose identity is being assumed.
- ation: A noun-forming suffix from Latin '-atio', indicating an action, process, or result.
Examples
His impersonation of the famous politician was so accurate it fooled the audience.
She was arrested for identity theft and impersonation of a police officer.
The comedian is renowned for his spot-on celebrity impersonations.