portrait
nounverbadjectivecommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈpɔːtɹeɪt//
- United Kingdom//ˈpɔːtɹɪt//
- United States//ˈpɔɹtɹət//
- United States//ˈpɔɹtɹeɪt//
- //ˈpoʊɹtɹət//
A painting or other picture of a person, especially the head and shoulders.
noun
- 1
A painting or other picture of a person, especially the head and shoulders.
In portraits, the grace, and, we may add, the likeness, consists more in the general air than in the exact similitude of every feature.
- 2
figurativeAn accurate depiction of a person, a mood, etc.
The author painted a good portrait of urban life in New York in his latest book.
- 3
A print orientation where the vertical sides are longer than the horizontal sides.
Etymology
From Middle French portraict, pourtraict, nominal use of the past participle of portraire (“portray”), from Latin prōtrahō (< prō- + trahō). Compare typologically English drawing.
verb
- 1
obsoleteTo portray; to draw.
But all as in most exquisite pictures, they vse to blaze and portrait, not only the daintie lineaments or beautie, but also round about it to shadowe the rude thickets and craggy clifts
Methinkes yᵉ picture of Sᵗ George fighting with yᵉ Dragon hath some resemblance of Sᵗ Michael fighting with the Devil, who is pourtrated like a Dragon.
adjective
- 1
Representing the actual features of an individual; not ideal.
a portrait bust; a portrait statue
Forms
- plural
- portraits
- past tense
- portraited
- past participle
- portraited
- present participle
- portraiting
- third person singular
- portraits
portrait · A painting or other picture of a person, especially the head and shoulders.
Ports · A commune of Indre-et-Loire department, France.Portugal · A country in Southern Europe, on the Iberian Peninsula.…Portuguese · Of or pertaining to Portugal.