point of view

American  

[point uhv vyoo] / ˈpɔɪnt əv ˈvju /

noun

1. a specified or stated manner of consideration or appraisal; standpoint: POV

   from the point of view of a doctor.

2. an opinion, attitude, or judgment: POV

   He refuses to change his point of view in the matter.

3. the position of the narrator in relation to the story, as indicated by the narrator's outlook from which the events are depicted and by the attitude toward the characters. POV

4. Movies. a method of shooting a scene or film that expresses the attitude of the director or writer toward the material or of a character in a scene. POV

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point of view British  

noun

1. a position from which someone or something is observed

2. a mental viewpoint or attitude

3. the mental position from which a story is observed or narrated

   the omniscient point of view

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point of view Idioms  

1. An attitude or standpoint, how one sees or thinks of something. For example, From the manufacturer's point of view, the critical issue is cost. This expression, originally alluding to one's vantage point in seeing a building or painting or other object, dates from the early 1700s.

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Etymology

Origin of point of view

First recorded in 1720–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

point of view

Based partly on Flynn and executive produced by Mel Brooks, it’s an affectionate portrait of an over-the-hill rogue told from the point of view of a young Jewish comedy writer who idolizes him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

Then we get to the main event — at least from the Canadian point of view — less than 40 years later.

From Salon ● Aug. 31, 2026

"The Ballon d'Or is as big as it gets, from an individual point of view," he said.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

"From my point of view, this is an industrial revolution, almost like the introduction of engines or, back then, the steam engine," he said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026

These fictional dramas, like the evening news, tend to focus on individual stories of crime, victimization, and punishment, and the stories are typically told from the point of view of law enforcement.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

Related Words

• angle
• attitude
• opinion
• orientation
• outlook
• perspective
• position
• standpoint