noun
portrait
PAWT-rayt
noun
1
A painting, drawing, or photograph of a person, usually focused on the face and shoulders.
"The museum displayed a portrait of the queen."
"He commissioned a portrait of his grandmother."
2
A vivid, accurate description of a person, mood, or situation.
"The novel paints a vivid portrait of small-town life."
adj
1
Describing a page or image oriented taller than it is wide.
"Print the document in portrait, not landscape."
How to Use Portrait
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA picture of a person, a vivid description, or a tall (not wide) page layout.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
portrait mode
paint a portrait
self-portrait
Word Forms
portraited past tense, portraits plural, portraits singular
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Etymology
From Middle French portraict, based on portraire ("to portray"), from Latin protrahere.