portrait

CEFRB1

/ˈpɔːtɹeɪt/

noun · verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A picture or painting of a person.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    A print orientation where the vertical sides are longer than the horizontal sides.

Examples

  • Bob mounted the portrait in a fancy frame, but it was upside down.

  • That portrait reminds me of someone I knew a long time ago.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
4

Also pronounced

  • /ˈpoʊɹtɹeɪt/
  • /ˈpoʊɹtɹət/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. An accurate depiction of a person, a mood, etc.

  2. A painting or other picture of a person, especially the head and shoulders.

verb

Extra meaning

  1. To portray; to draw.

More examples

In context

  • The portrait shows the profile of a beautiful woman.

  • The author painted a good portrait of urban life in New York in his latest book.

  • a portrait bust; a portrait statue

Antonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The artist painted a beautiful blank of the queen in oils for the museum.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

From Middle French portraict, pourtraict, nominal use of the past participle of portraire (“portray”), from Latin prōtrahō (< prō- + trahō). Compare typologically English drawing.