Nonpersons

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A term used to describe entities that lack individual identity or rights, often applied in legal or ethical discussions
2. Referring to beings or things that are not recognized as having personhood, typically in discussions of morality or law
3. Designating individuals or groups excluded from social recognition or rights, often highlighting a philosophical or political stance on identity

Etymology: Latin "persona" first meant the mask an actor wore on stage, and only later the character that mask represented. It passed through Old French "persone" into English as "person," which kept a trace of that theatrical sense: a person is someone who holds a recognized role in society. The prefix "non-" comes from Latin "non," meaning "not," and simply negates that standing. The plural names whole categories of people whom law, custom, or public life treats as lacking the standing that "person" implies. George Orwell's novel "Nineteen Eighty-Four" supplied a close relative, "unperson," for people erased from official records. In political and philosophical writing, the term is used to argue that certain groups are denied recognition outright, not just overlooked.