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personalize

UK[ˈpɜː.sən.əl.aɪz]US[ˈpɝː.sən.əl.aɪz]
v

to design or change something so that it is suitable for a particular person or purpose

v

to mark something in some way to show that it belongs to a particular person

v

to consider or discuss something only in relation to individual people, rather than considering other factors

Morpheme Breakdown

person
al
ize
person

individual

al

relating to

ize

to make

Etymology

the word 'personalize' is a modern english formation built upon the established adjective 'personal'. its core, 'person', originates from the latin 'persona', which referred to a theatrical mask and, by extension, the character played and the individual. the suffix '-al' is a prolific latin-derived adjectival ending, attaching to nouns to form adjectives meaning 'of or pertaining to'. the final verbal suffix '-ize', with its roots in ancient greek, was adopted into latin and became highly productive in english from the 16th century onward, meaning 'to cause to be or become'. therefore, the literal morphemic construction 'to make pertaining to a specific person' elegantly captures the modern abstract sense of tailoring something to an individual's needs, tastes, or identity.

Analysis

Structure: person (individual) + al (relating to) + ize (to make) person: from latin 'persona' (mask, character, person). functions as the core noun root denoting an individual human being. al: from latin '-alis' (pertaining to, of the kind of). functions as an adjectival suffix, turning the noun into the adjective 'personal'. ize: from greek '-izein' via latin '-izare' and french '-iser' (to render, to make, to become). functions as a verbal suffix meaning 'to make or cause to be'.

Examples

you can personalize the homepage of the app with your favorite widgets.

the company offers to personalize their leather goods with your initials.

it's important not to personalize every criticism; sometimes feedback is about the process, not you.

personalize – Meaning, Etymology & Word Origin | OpenEtymology