Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
persona grata

persona grata

9.0
A person welcomed by a host country, usually a diplomat
  • noun
  • /pərˈsoʊnə ˈɡrɑːtə/
  • Formal
translation icon : persona grata
  • Being named a persona grata is essential for a diplomat to fulfill their role abroad.

Examples

  • The government officially recognized her as a persona grata following years of careful diplomacy.

  • He is a persona grata.

  • After the negotiations, the ambassador was declared a persona grata by the host country.

  • The ambassador was declared a persona grata in the new country.

  • The ambassador was pleased to hear that he was considered a persona grata in the host country.

  • After years of diplomatic service, she became a well-respected persona grata among the local officials.

  • Being a persona grata allowed him to attend high-level meetings without any issues.

Antonyms

persona non grata
  • Formal
11 9.4

A person who is not welcome in a place, often for official reasons

Surface Forms

persona grata singular
personae gratae plural

Morphology

persona + grata

The phrase is compositionally transparent in that persona (person) + grata (pleasing/welcome) combine to yield ‘a person who is acceptable or welcome.’ Although it is a Latin loan and the forms are not native English words, if a learner knows the constituent meanings the overall sense is directly predictable.

Etymology

Persona grata comes from diplomacy and literally combines persona 'person' and grata 'acceptable'. It was used when a host country said a diplomat was welcome, so today persona grata means someone officially 'acceptable' to the government.