Persona Non Grata
idiom / noun /pərˌsoʊ.nə nɒn ˈɡrɑː.tə/ — An unacceptable or unwelcome person
Definition
A person whose presence is undesirable or unwelcome — typically in a diplomatic context (a foreign official declared persona non grata is expelled), but broadly: someone who has been formally or informally excluded.
Beyond the definition
Persona non grata is exclusion with paperwork. It formalises the social death that happens when you're no longer welcome in a space you once occupied. The Latin gives the rejection a dignity the English equivalent ('get out') does not.
Origin & history
Latin: 'person not welcome'. A diplomatic term — a government declaring a foreign diplomat persona non grata requires their recall or expulsion. First recorded in formal usage in the 19th century.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
After the board meeting, he was effectively persona non grata at every company event.
The diplomat was declared persona non grata and given seventy-two hours to leave.
She understood she'd become persona non grata in that circle before anyone said it directly.
How to use it
Follow this entry’s examples for grammatical form and sentence placement.
Choose “Persona Non Grata” when the meaning fits your context: A person whose presence is undesirable or unwelcome — typically in a diplomatic context (a foreign official declared persona non grata is expelled), but broadly: someone who has been formally or informally excluded.
Synonyms
unwelcome person, expelled individual, black sheep
Antonyms
welcome guest, trusted person
Related words
Persona Non Grata vs outcast
An outcast is someone excluded socially. 'Persona non grata' is a formal label for an unwelcome person, often implying an official ban from a group or country.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Exclusion in a Decision-Making Room
Two adults stand in a room; one stands tall while the other looks down, excluded from the decision-making process.
The excluded person is effectively treated as unwelcome. Persona non grata describes this state of being formally or informally expelled from a social or political group, where one’s presence is no longer accepted or tolerated by those in power.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Persona Non Grata" mean?
Persona Non Grata is idiom / noun meaning: An unacceptable or unwelcome person. A person whose presence is undesirable or unwelcome — typically in a diplomatic context (a foreign official declared persona non grata is expelled), but broadly: someone who has been formally or informally excluded.
Where does the word "Persona Non Grata" come from?
Latin: 'person not welcome'. A diplomatic term — a government declaring a foreign diplomat persona non grata requires their recall or expulsion. First recorded in formal usage in the 19th century.