Impersonal

/ɪmˈpɜːrsənəl/ adjective

Definition

Lacking human warmth, emotion, or personal connection; formal and distant.

Etymology

From Latin 'im-' (not) plus 'personalis' (personal). The word entered English in the 1600s to describe things without individual characteristics or feeling.

Kelly Says

Modern life is increasingly impersonal—emails, phone trees, and algorithms have replaced face-to-face interactions—but neuroscience shows that humans crave personal connection, which is why small gestures of warmth in otherwise impersonal settings feel so meaningful.

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