impersonal

impersonal
adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin impersonalis, from Latin in- + Late Latin personalis personal Date: 15th century 1. a. denoting the verbal action of an unspecified agent and hence used with no expressed subject (as methinks) or with a merely formal subject (as rained in it rained) b. of a pronoun indefinite 2. a. having no personal reference or connection <
impersonal criticism
>
b. not engaging the human personality or emotions <
the machine as compared with the hand tool is an impersonal agency — John Dewey
>
c. not existing as a person ; not having human qualities or characteristics • impersonality nounimpersonally adverb

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • impersonal — IMPERSONÁL, Ă, impersonali, e, adj. Care nu se referă la nici o persoană; fig. lipsit de personalitate. ♦ (Despre verbe, forme şi construcţii verbale) Care exprimă o acţiune ce nu este atribuită nici unei persoane, care nu are subiect propriu zis …   Dicționar Român

  • Impersonal — Im*per son*al, a. [L. impersonalis; pref. im not + personalis personal: cf. F. impersonnel. See {Personal}.] Not personal; not representing a person; not having personality. [1913 Webster] An almighty but impersonal power, called Fate. Sir J.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • impersonal — [im pʉr′sə nəl] adj. [LL impersonalis] 1. not personal; specif., a) without connection or reference to any particular person [an impersonal comment] b) not existing as a person [an impersonal force] 2. not showing human feelings, esp. sympathy or …   English World dictionary

  • impersonal — adjetivo 1. Que no tiene personalidad: No me gusta la decoración impersonal de ese hotel. 2. Que no implica a una persona concreta, sino a todas en general: Hablo de forma impersonal, no me refiero a nadie en particular. 3. [Tratamiento de… …   Diccionario Salamanca de la Lengua Española

  • impersonal — (Del lat. impersonālis). 1. adj. Que no tiene o no manifiesta personalidad u originalidad. 2. Que no se aplica a nadie en particular. 3. Gram. Se dice de la oración que carece de sujeto o en la que este se omite por desconocido o irrelevante; p.… …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • Impersonal — Im*per son*al, n. That which wants personality; specifically (Gram.), an impersonal verb. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Impersonal — (Impersonell, v. lat.), unpersönlich; daher Impersonale, Verbum, welches kein persönliches Subject zuläßt, z.B. es regnet …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • impersonal — I (dispassionate) adjective candid, cold, cold blooded, detached, disinterested, dispassionate, frigid, general, impartial, indefinite, insensible, neuter, nonsubjective, objective, passionless, undetermined, unfeeling, unforthcoming, unjaundiced …   Law dictionary

  • impersonal — (adj.) mid 15c., a grammatical term, from L.L. impersonalis, from assimilated form of in not, opposite of (see IN (Cf. in ) (1)) + personalis personal (see PERSONAL (Cf. personal)). Sense of not connected with any person is from 1620s; that of… …   Etymology dictionary

  • impersonal — [adj] cold, unfriendly abstract, bureaucratic, businesslike, candid, cold blooded*, cold turkey*, colorless, cool, detached, disinterested, dispassionate, emotionless, equal, equitable, fair, formal, impartial, indifferent, inhuman, neutral,… …   New thesaurus

  • impersonal — ► ADJECTIVE 1) not influenced by or involving personal feelings. 2) featureless and anonymous. 3) not existing as a person. 4) Grammar (of a verb) used only with a formal subject (in English usually it) and expressing an action not attributable… …   English terms dictionary

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