portrait

[pawr-trit, -treyt, pohr-]

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.

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

/ -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

adjective

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

Other Word Forms

• portraitlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of portrait¹

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

Example Sentences

Baghdad-born Mohammed Sami, who began his career painting official portraits of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, is favoured by other critics.

From BBC

In the Roxy’s lobby is a portrait of Curry in character as the mad doctor in pearls.

From Los Angeles Times

The framing may be sound, but the portraits are imaginary.

From Los Angeles Times

In the living room, portraits of Willie Nelson and Hank Williams adorn the walls, alongside paint-by-numbers artworks, a cow skull and a Bennington flag he found in a Santa Fe, N.M., antique store.

From Los Angeles Times

“Will There Ever Be Another You” is a portrait of one woman’s crisis, not unlike Plath’s “The Bell Jar,” but without her clarity and acerbic confidence.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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