/ ˈpɜːsənl; NAmE ˈpɜːrs-/ adjective
YOUR OWN
1.
[ only before noun ] your own; not belonging to or connected with anyone else :
personal effects / belongings / possessions
personal details (= your name, age, etc.)
Of course, this is just a personal opinion.
Coogan has run a personal best of just under four minutes.
The novel is written from personal experience .
Use stencils to add a few personal touches to walls and furniture.
All hire cars are for personal use only.
FEELINGS / CHARACTER / RELATIONSHIPS
2.
[ only before noun ] connected with individual people, especially their feelings, characters and relationships :
Having good personal relationships is the most important thing for me.
He was popular as much for his personal qualities as for his management skills.
NOT OFFICIAL
3.
not connected with a person's job or official position :
The letter was marked 'Personal'.
I'd like to talk to you about a personal matter.
I try not to let work interfere with my personal life .
She's a personal friend of mine (= not just somebody I know because of my job) .
DONE BY PERSON
4.
[ only before noun ] done by a particular person rather than by sb who is acting for them :
The President made a personal appearance at the event.
I shall give the matter my personal attention.
DONE FOR PERSON
5.
[ only before noun ] made or done for a particular person rather than for a large group of people or people in general :
We offer a personal service to all our customers.
a personal pension plan (= a pension organized by a private company for one particular person)
OFFENSIVE
6.
referring to a particular person's character, appearance, opinions, etc. in a way that is offensive :
Try to avoid making personal remarks.
There's no need to get personal !
Nothing personal (= I do not wish to offend you) , but I do have to go now.
CONNECTED WITH BODY
7.
[ only before noun ] connected with a person's body :
personal cleanliness / hygiene
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Old French , from Latin personalis of a person, from persona actor's mask, character in a play, later human being.