personalize
UK: ˈpɜː.sən.ə.laɪz | US: ˈpɜːr.sən.ə.laɪz
vt. to design or tailor something to meet individual preferences
vt. to mark or label something as belonging to a specific person
vt. to attribute human characteristics to something (less common)
personalize = person<human> + alize<verb suffix, "to make">
- person: From Latin persona ("mask, character, individual"), originally referring to theatrical roles, later generalized to "human being."
- alize: A verb-forming suffix derived from Greek -izein (via Latin -izare), meaning "to render, make, or act upon."
Etymology Origin:
The word personalize emerged in the early 19th century, combining person (rooted in the Latin concept of individual identity) with -alize, a suffix that transforms nouns into verbs. It reflects the cultural shift toward valuing individual customization, initially in legal/artistic contexts (e.g., personalized seals) and later in consumer culture (e.g., personalized products).
The company allows customers to personalize their phone cases with photos.
She personalized her notebook by writing her name in gold letters.
The software can personalize recommendations based on user behavior.
Critics argue that AI chatbots overly personalize impersonal interactions.
In the novel, the author personalizes nature by giving storms human emotions.