Perspective Meaning
/pɚˈspɛk.tɪv/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA view, vista or outlook.
nounThe appearance of depth in objects, especially as perceived using binocular vision.
Sentence Examples
The picture looks strange because it has no perspective.
You should always keep a broad perspective on the work you do.
In his art he broke the laws of scientific linear perspective.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The essay examines the very complex issue from a unique historical ____.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Traveling abroad gave her a new ____ on her own culture and the assumptions she had taken for granted.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English perspective, perspectif, attested since 1381, from Old French or Middle French, from the first word of the Medieval Latin perspectiva ars (“science of optics”), the feminine of Latin perspectivus (“of sight, optical”), from perspectus, the past participle of perspicere (“to inspect, look through”), itself from per- (“through”) + specere (“to look at”); the noun sense was influenced or mediated by Italian prospettiva, from prospetto (“prospect”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"And according to Hughes, HM Treasury is still sceptical about rail electrification. "It's not because they don't see electrification as a good thing, but I think when you look at it from the UK-wide perspective, if you have £x billion to spend on decarbonisation, you don't necessarily start with rail. Rail's not where you get the biggest bang for the buck in terms of decarbonisation.""
— 2025 February 5, Peter Plisner, “East West Rail: progress from west to east”, in RAIL, number 1028, page 30:
"[…] our predecessors; who could never have believed, that there were such lunets about some of the planets, as our late perspectives have descried […]"
— 1645, Joseph Hall, The Peace-Maker:
"perspective glasses"
— 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Seeming Wise”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The essay examines the very complex issue from a unique historical ____.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Traveling abroad gave her a new ____ on her own culture and the assumptions she had taken for granted.