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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

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

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

It's good to talk: Neil said: "If you sit down and talk to a few people about it, you might share some concerns and you'll probably find some useful perspective."

From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026

Evaluating the present without the benefit of perspective from the past can be a risky business.

From Salon ● Sep. 20, 2026

From his perspective, he wasn’t spilling company secrets.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

She said most of these clients had been laid off within the past couple of years, which changed their perspective.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026

On the one hand, there was perspective painting, grounded in geometrical abstraction; on the other, the printing of engraved plates, supplemented by text produced on a printing press.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

“What makes the collaboration so special is that we don’t simply bring our separate perspectives to the table—we truly meld into each other in the work,” Robb says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

He described these as "fundamental rights" and said there was "a huge gap between Canadian and American perspectives."

From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026

Girshick is also working to incorporate outside perspectives, something she said is critical in a sector with few competitors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

I’d really appreciate any thoughts or perspectives you have.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026

A new formula emerged for criminal prosecution, especially in high-profile cases, in which the emotions, perspectives, and opinions of the victim figured prominently in how criminal cases would be managed.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Related Words

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