'impersonate' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'impersonare,' where 'in-' meant 'into' and 'persona' meant 'person.'

'impersonare' transformed into the French word 'impersoner,' and eventually became the modern English word 'impersonate' through Middle English.

Initially, it meant 'to invest with a personality,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'to pretend to be someone else.'