point of view

[point uhv vyoo]

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

point of view

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of point of view¹

First recorded in 1720–30

Idioms and Phrases

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.

Example Sentences

Each article must have a neutral point of view, be verifiable with information coming from published sources and no original research.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

The Free Press made a name for itself with a mix of news and opinion, often with a contrarian point of view on politics and culture.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

A lot of us Americans are trying our best, he continued, acting from multiple points of view.

Read more on Salon

From a captaincy point of view, Steve Smith stepping up to lead would not be a problem - he is arguably a better tactician than Cummins.

Read more on BBC

He saw it from so many points of view.

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Related Words

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