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

Example Sentences

The portrait is appealing, but the author too often relies on ancient writers who were themselves captivated by the ideal of a wise man in power.

From The Wall Street Journal

And it really is just a portrait of a life.

From Los Angeles Times

The last time the portrait was out on loan was in 2023 for a less exotic trip to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

From Barron's

They posted appeals for information along with portraits of the people, mostly teenage, they hoped would be found alive.

From The Wall Street Journal

He stresses that Columbus was “no saint” and concedes that his portrait of the man can seem “unsympathetic.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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