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: a figure of speech in which an imaginary or absent person is represented as speaking or acting

: a figure of speech in which an imaginary or absent person is represented as speaking or acting

1 : a figure of speech in which an imaginary or absent person is represented as speaking or acting

History and Etymology for prosopopoeia

borrowed from Latin prosōpopoeia, borrowed from Greek prosōpopoiía, from prósōpon "face, mask, role, person" (from pros- "facing, opposite" + -ōp- "eye, sight," hence, "the eyes, or sight, opposite own's own") + -poiia "making," from poi-, base of poieîn "to make" + -ia -ia — more at pros-, eye entry 1, poet