Individual vs. Person: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 26, 2023
Individual emphasizes uniqueness and separateness, while Person refers to a human being with social and legal status.
Key Differences
The term "Individual" often highlights the distinct characteristics or choices of a person, emphasizing uniqueness and independence. In contrast, "Person" typically refers to a human being, with a focus on their role within a society or legal framework, emphasizing their communal and relational aspects.
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Dec 26, 2023
Legally, "Person" can encompass both natural and juridical entities, recognizing rights and responsibilities. Conversely, "Individual" is used more in personal and psychological contexts, referring to someone's personal identity or individual traits, without implying legal status.
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Dec 26, 2023
Philosophically, "Person" is used in discussions about human nature, ethics, and rights, often in a broader, more abstract sense. "Individual," however, is used to denote a single, separate entity, focusing on the distinction and autonomy of a person.
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Dec 26, 2023
In literature and art, "Person" can represent a character or a human figure generally, while "Individual" often connotes a deeper exploration of a character's unique traits, personal journey, or psychological depth.
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Dec 26, 2023
In daily usage, "Person" is a more general term, often interchangeable with 'human being,' whereas "Individual" can imply a degree of emphasis on personal characteristics or independence.
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Dec 26, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A single human being, distinct from others
A human being, often with legal recognition
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Usage in Psychology
Focus on personal traits and identity
Used more broadly to refer to humans
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Dec 26, 2023
Legal Context
Less common, more personal focus
Includes natural and juridical entities
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Dec 26, 2023
Philosophical Discussions
Autonomy and personal identity
Human nature, rights, and ethics
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Dec 26, 2023
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Individual and Person Definitions
Individual
A person characterized by particular personal traits.
She is an individual known for her creativity and innovation.
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Person
An individual characterized by personality and social attributes.
She is a person known for her empathy and kindness.
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Dec 26, 2023
Individual
Someone who shows a strong sense of self and independence.
He is an individual who always stands up for what he believes in.
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Dec 26, 2023
Person
A character in a narrative or play.
The main person in the story undergoes significant transformation.
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Individual
A person distinct from others in a specific context or group.
In the team, each individual brings their unique skills to the table.
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Person
A human regarded in terms of their relationships or social role.
He is a person of great influence in his community.
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Individual
A single human being, distinct from a group.
Every individual has their unique way of solving problems.
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Dec 26, 2023
Person
A living human. Often used in combination
Chairperson.
Salesperson. See Usage Note at chairman.
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Oct 19, 2023
Individual
Of or relating to an individual, especially a single human
Individual consciousness.
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Person
The composite of characteristics that make up an individual personality; the self.
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Individual
Existing as a distinct entity; separate
Individual drops of rain.
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Individual
Marked by or expressing individuality; distinctive or individualistic
An individual way of dressing.
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Oct 19, 2023
Individual
Special; particular
Each variety of melon has its individual flavor and texture.
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Oct 19, 2023
Person
(Law) A human, corporation, organization, partnership, association, or other entity deemed or construed to be governed by a particular law.
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Oct 19, 2023
Individual
Serving to identify or set apart
"There was nothing individual about him except a deep scar ... across his right cheek" (Rebecca West).
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Oct 19, 2023
Person
(Christianity) Any of the three separate individualities of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as distinguished from the essence of the Godhead that unites them.
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Oct 19, 2023
Individual
A single human considered apart from a society or community
The rights of the individual.
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Oct 19, 2023
Person
Any of three groups of pronoun forms with corresponding verb inflections that distinguish the speaker (first person), the individual addressed (second person), and the individual or thing spoken of (third person).
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Oct 19, 2023
Individual
A human regarded as a distinctive or unique personality
Always treated her clients as individuals.
Felt he was quite an individual.
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Oct 19, 2023
Person
Any of the different forms or inflections expressing these distinctions.
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Oct 19, 2023
Individual
A single organism as distinguished from a species, community, or group.
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Oct 19, 2023
Person
A character or role, as in a play; a guise
"Well, in her person, I say I will not have you" (Shakespeare).
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Oct 19, 2023
Person
An individual substance of a rational nature; usually a human being.
Each person is unique, both mentally and physically.
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Oct 19, 2023
Individual
A person considered alone, rather than as belonging to a group of people.
He is an unusual individual.
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Oct 19, 2023
Person
A character or part, as in a play; a specific kind or manifestation of individual character, whether in real life, or in literary or dramatic representation; an assumed character.
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Oct 19, 2023
Individual
(legal) A single physical human being as a legal subject, as opposed to a legal person such as a corporation.
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Oct 19, 2023
Person
(Christianity) Any one of the three hypostases of the Holy Trinity: the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit.
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Person
(in a compound noun or noun phrase) Someone who likes or has an affinity for (a specified thing).
Jack's always been a dog person, but I prefer cats.
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Individual
Relating to a single person or thing as opposed to more than one.
As we can't print them all together, the individual pages will have to be printed one by one.
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Oct 19, 2023
Person
(in a compound noun or noun phrase) A human of unspecified gender (in terms usually constructed with man or woman).
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Individual
Intended for a single person as opposed to more than one person.
Individual personal pension; individual cream cakes
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Person
(in a compound noun or noun phrase) A worker in a specified function or specialty.
I was able to speak to a technical support person and get the problem solved.
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Oct 19, 2023
Person
The physical body of a being seen as distinct from the mind, character, etc.
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Oct 19, 2023
Individual
Not divided, or not to be divided; existing as one entity, or distinct being or object; single; one; as, an individual man, animal, or city.
Mind has a being of its own, distinct from that of all other things, and is pure, unmingled, individual substance.
United as one individual soul.
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Person
(law) Any individual or formal organization with standing before the courts.
At common law a corporation or a trust is legally a person.
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Oct 19, 2023
Individual
Of or pertaining to one only; peculiar to, or characteristic of, a single person or thing; distinctive; as, individual traits of character; individual exertions; individual peculiarities.
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Oct 19, 2023
Individual
A single person, animal, or thing of any kind; a thing or being incapable of separation or division, without losing its identity; especially, a human being; a person.
An object which is in the strict and primary sense one, and can not be logically divided, is called an individual.
That individuals die, his will ordains.
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Oct 19, 2023
Person
(grammar) A linguistic category used to distinguish between the speaker of an utterance and those to whom or about whom they are speaking. See grammatical person.
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Individual
An independent, or partially independent, zooid of a compound animal.
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Person
(biology) A shoot or bud of a plant; a polyp or zooid of the compound Hydrozoa, Anthozoa, etc.; also, an individual, in the narrowest sense, among the higher animals.
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Individual
Being or characteristic of a single thing or person;
Individual drops of rain
Please mark the individual pages
They went their individual ways
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Oct 19, 2023
Person
A character or part, as in a play; a specific kind or manifestation of individual character, whether in real life, or in literary or dramatic representation; an assumed character.
His first appearance upon the stage in his new person of a sycophant or juggler.
No man can long put on a person and act a part.
To bear rule, which was thy partAnd person, hadst thou known thyself aright.
How different is the same man from himself, as he sustains the person of a magistrate and that of a friend!
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Oct 19, 2023
Individual
Separate and distinct from others of the same kind;
Mark the individual pages
On a case-by-case basis
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Person
The bodily form of a human being; body; outward appearance; as, of comely person.
A fair persone, and strong, and young of age.
If it assume my noble father's person.
Love, sweetness, goodness, in her person shined.
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Oct 19, 2023
Individual
Characteristic of or meant for a single person or thing;
An individual serving
Separate rooms
Single occupancy
A single bed
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Oct 19, 2023
Person
A living, self-conscious being, as distinct from an animal or a thing; a moral agent; a human being; a man, woman, or child.
Consider what person stands for; which, I think, is a thinking, intelligent being, that has reason and reflection.
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Oct 19, 2023
Individual
Concerning one person exclusively;
We all have individual cars
Each room has a private bath
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Person
A human being spoken of indefinitely; one; a man; as, any person present.
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Oct 19, 2023
Individual
An entity regarded as a separate and independent member of a species.
The study focused on the behavior of the individual in social situations.
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Dec 26, 2023
Person
Among Trinitarians, one of the three subdivisions of the Godhead (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost); an hypostasis.
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Oct 19, 2023
Person
One of three relations or conditions (that of speaking, that of being spoken to, and that of being spoken of) pertaining to a noun or a pronoun, and thence also to the verb of which it may be the subject.
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Oct 19, 2023
Person
A shoot or bud of a plant; a polyp or zooid of the compound Hydrozoa Anthozoa, etc.; also, an individual, in the narrowest sense, among the higher animals.
True corms, composed of united personæ . . . usually arise by gemmation, . . . yet in sponges and corals occasionally by fusion of several originally distinct persons.
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Oct 19, 2023
Person
A person's body (usually including their clothing);
A weapon was hidden on his person
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Person
A grammatical category of pronouns and verb forms;
Stop talking about yourself in the third person
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Oct 19, 2023
Person
A human being regarded as an individual.
Every person in the room agreed with the decision.
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Dec 26, 2023
Person
A being with legal rights and responsibilities.
In law, a corporation can be treated as a person.
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Dec 26, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Is 'person' a more common term in everyday language?
Yes, 'person' is more generally used than 'individual'.
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Dec 26, 2023
Can 'person' refer to a legal entity?
Yes, in legal terms, 'person' can include corporations and organizations.
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Dec 26, 2023
Is 'individual' always used to refer to a human?
Mostly, but it can also refer to a distinct entity in other contexts.
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Dec 26, 2023
Can 'individual' have a negative connotation?
Sometimes, it can imply excessive focus on oneself.
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Dec 26, 2023
Is 'person' used more in legal contexts?
Yes, particularly when referring to rights and responsibilities.
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Dec 26, 2023
Does 'person' imply a social aspect?
Yes, it often includes social and relational dimensions.
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Dec 26, 2023
Does 'individual' imply more uniqueness than 'person'?
Yes, 'individual' often emphasizes distinct characteristics.
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Dec 26, 2023
Does 'individual' focus more on personal identity?
Yes, it often refers to personal traits and autonomy.
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Dec 26, 2023
Can 'person' be used in scientific contexts?
Yes, but often more in social sciences.
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Dec 26, 2023
Can 'person' be used in a collective sense?
Yes, like 'a group of persons'.
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Dec 26, 2023
Is 'individual' used in psychological profiling?
Yes, it's often used in personal and psychological contexts.
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Dec 26, 2023
Is 'person' a more inclusive term?
Generally, yes, as it broadly refers to human beings.
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Dec 26, 2023
Is 'person' used in philosophical discussions about human nature?
Yes, it's often used in ethical and philosophical contexts.
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Dec 26, 2023
Can both terms be used interchangeably?
Often, but not always, depending on the context.
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Dec 26, 2023
Can 'individual' be used in a corporate context?
Less commonly, it's more personal.
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Dec 26, 2023
Does 'person' encompass both gender and age?
Yes, it refers to all humans regardless of these factors.
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Dec 26, 2023
Does 'individual' have a more singular focus?
Yes, it emphasizes the singularity and independence of a person.
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Dec 26, 2023
Is 'individual' a term used in legal documents?
Rarely, 'person' is more common in legal language.
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Dec 26, 2023
Is 'individual' a more formal term?
Not necessarily, but it can be more specific.
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Dec 26, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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