ENGLISH
REFERENCE

portrait

n. countable
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //ˈpɔɹtɹət// UK //pˈɔːtɹeɪt// por·trait Archaic General-service

n. a painting, drawing, or photograph of a person, usually showing only their face and shoulders. In printing or on a computer, it also means a page that is taller than it is wide.

n. a representation of a specific person, typically focusing on the face and expression. In a digital or typographic context, it refers to a page orientation where the vertical dimension exceeds the horizontal.


SIMPLE

The artist painted a beautiful portrait of the queen.

CONTEXTUAL

Please print the document in portrait mode so the text fits correctly on the page.

COMPLEX

The gallery features a striking portrait that captures the subject's weariness through subtle shading around the eyes, contrasting sharply with the vibrant background.

Synonyms
Origin

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

Usage

Often used with the verb 'paint', 'draw', or 'take'. In computing, it is frequently used as an attributive noun in the phrase 'portrait mode'.

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