Italian word
personaggio
character (in a story); a notable person, a personality
Looks like
personage
a person of rank or distinction (formal/archaic)
⚠️ The trap
English 'personage' is formal and rare. Italian 'personaggio' is everyday — used for fictional characters, public figures, and colourful individuals. Don't avoid it thinking it sounds archaic; it is perfectly modern in Italian.
To say "a person of rank or distinction (formal/archaic)" in Italian:
personaggio (correct; very common in Italian)
"personaggio" in English means:
character (in a story); a notable person, a personality
Example
"Il personaggio principale del romanzo si chiama Renzo."
"The main character of the novel is called Renzo."
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