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Perspective comes from a Latin root meaning what?

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perspective

American  

[per-spek-tiv] / pərˈspɛk tɪv /

noun

• perspectives
  plural

1. 

   a technique of depicting volumes and spatial relationships on a flat surface.

2. a picture employing this technique, especially one in which it is prominent.

   an architect's perspective of a house.

3. a visible scene, especially one extending to a distance; vista.

   a perspective on the main axis of an estate.

4. the state of existing in space before the eye.

   The elevations look all right, but the building's composition is a failure in perspective.

5. the state of one's ideas, the facts known to one, etc., in having a meaningful interrelationship.

   You have to live here a few years to see local conditions in perspective.

6. the faculty of seeing all the relevant data in a meaningful relationship.

   Your data is admirably detailed but it lacks perspective.

7. a mental view or prospect.

   the dismal perspective of terminally ill patients.

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adjective

1. of or relating to the art of perspective, or represented according to its laws.

perspective British  

/ pəˈspɛktɪv /

noun

1. a way of regarding situations, facts, etc, and judging their relative importance

2. the proper or accurate point of view or the ability to see it; objectivity

   try to get some perspective on your troubles

3. the theory or art of suggesting three dimensions on a two-dimensional surface, in order to recreate the appearance and spatial relationships that objects or a scene in recession present to the eye

4. the appearance of objects, buildings, etc, relative to each other, as determined by their distance from the viewer, or the effects of this distance on their appearance

5. a view over some distance in space or time; vista; prospect

6. a picture showing perspective

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perspective Cultural  

1. In drawing or painting, a way of portraying three dimensions on a flat, two-dimensional surface by suggesting depth or distance.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonperspective
  noun
• perspectival
  adjective
• perspectived
  adjective
• perspectiveless
  adjective
• perspectively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• perspectives
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of perspective

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin perspectīva (ars) “optical (science),” perspectīvum “optical glass,” noun uses of feminine and neuter of perspectīvus “optical,” equivalent to Latin perspect(us) “looked at closely,” past participle of perspicere “to look at closely” ( see per-, inspect) + -īvus -ive

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Explanation

Your perspective is the way you see something. If you think that toys corrupt children's minds, then from your perspective a toy shop is an evil place. Perspective has a Latin root meaning "look through" or "perceive," and all the meanings of perspective have something to do with looking. If you observe the world from a dog's perspective, you see through the dog's eyes. In drawing, perspective gives your drawing the appearance of depth or distance. If we say someone "has perspective," we mean she has a sensible outlook on life.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

perspective perspectives

Still, I do hope this puts the cost of your dream car into perspective.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 4, 2026

He has said he intends to bring a pro-business perspective to City Hall.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

From a survival perspective, responding unnecessarily to a false alarm may sometimes be preferable to overlooking a genuine danger.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2026

Logan Wright offers a provocative and convincing perspective on China’s economic trajectory in “Broken China.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026

They were accompanied by the first perspective drawing of the entire Earth as a sphere.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Louis Sharpe, frontman of the Latin freestyle group TKA, who will further bring the artists’ perspectives into the narrative.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

The holders of these outwardly contradictory perspectives are talking about two different things when they use the word “university.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

It’s that it’s much more difficult to parse through an algorithmic funnel of opinions and perspectives that can often appear half-formed or entirely outside their context.

From Salon ● Oct. 19, 2026

The online session will bring together a number of professionals and personal perspectives on menopause, and will be an open conversation format rather than a traditional webinar or expert panel.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

I’d spent so many years intensely focused on gymnastics that it felt odd to talk to people about their perspectives on my life outside of the gym.

From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles

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Related Words

• angle
• aspect
• attitude
• context
• mindset
• prospect
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