portrait

American  

[pawr-trit, -treyt, pohr-] / ˈpɔr trɪt, -treɪt, ˈpoʊr- /

noun

1. a likeness of a person, especially of the face, as a painting, drawing, or photograph.

   a gallery of family portraits.

2. a verbal picture or description, usually of a person.

   a biography that provides a fascinating portrait of an 18th-century rogue.

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adjective

1. Digital Technology. relating to or producing vertical, upright orientation of computer or other digital output, with lines of data parallel to the two shorter sides of a page or screen. Compare landscape.

portrait British  

/ -treɪt, ˈpɔːtrɪt /

noun

1. 1. a painting, drawing, sculpture, photograph, or other likeness of an individual, esp of the face

   2. ( as modifier )

      a portrait gallery

2. a verbal description or picture, esp of a person's character

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adjective

1. printing (of a publication or an illustration in a publication) of greater height than width Compare landscape

Other Word Forms

• portraitlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of portrait

1560–70; < Middle French: a drawing, image, etc., noun use of past participle of portraire to portray

Explanation

A portrait is a portrayal of a person, usually showing the person's face (but not always). A portrait can be a painting, a photograph, an ink drawing, a sculpture — or even a description in words or in a film. Portrait is a term often used when talking about artwork. Go to an art museum, especially one that has a historic collection, and you'll likely see many portraits hanging on the walls. Formal portraits were commissioned by wealthy people throughout history. A portrait can also be a written description of someone's appearance or character. If you describe your Mom in such detail that everyone can imagine what she's like, you've created a portrait of her.

Example Sentences

The day after she was sacked, her official portrait was thrown in the trash at the very building that had been her domain.

From Salon • Apr. 9, 2026

I ended up with this cool portrait and priceless memories.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Compressing and occasionally revealing all that she has been through in “The Handmaid’s Tale” and before, what she manages to make Aunt Lydia is both Dorian Gray and his portrait.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

John Galsworthy’s tales of an affluent family in Victorian and Edwardian England offer a vivid portrait of a vanished era.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

It was Lord Fredrick’s turn to look at Edward Ashton’s portrait.

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• account
• characterization
• depiction
• figure
• image
• likeness
• model
• painting
• photograph
• picture
• portrayal
• profile
• silhouette
• sketch
• snapshot
• vignette