persona non grata
/pəˈsəʊnə nɒn ˈɡrɑːtə/
noun phrase
Origin
Latin
persona non grata — unwelcome person
Overview
Meaning Now
- A person who is unwelcome or unacceptable, particularly in a diplomatic context.
Literal older meaning
An unwelcome person
Language path
Latin → International Diplomatic Terminology → English
Earliest form
persona non grata
Earliest period
19th century
Journey
The term is a cornerstone of international diplomacy. Under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961), a receiving state may at any time notify the sending state that any member of the diplomatic staff is 'persona non grata', requiring the sending state to recall the person or terminate their functions.
Evolution
- Classical Latin
persona non grata
“an unwelcome person”
Standard Latin phrasing used for individuals excluded from social or political circles.
- 19th Century
persona non grata
“Diplomatic term for an envoy rejected by the host government.”
Adopted into international law via the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Connections
Word parts
persona
root
person, mask, character
non
prefix
not
grata
root
pleasing, welcome
Related across languages
Italian
persona non grata
French
persona non grata
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.