portrait
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.a painting, drawing, or photograph of a person, usually showing their face and shoulders.
n.a representation of a specific person, typically focusing on the face and expression.
Simple“The artist spent three weeks painting a portrait of the mayor.”
In context“The gallery features a striking portrait of the queen, captured in a rare moment of informal reflection rather than formal ceremony.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a way of printing or showing a page where the top and bottom are shorter than the sides.
n.a mode of printing or display in which the vertical dimension is greater than the horizontal dimension.
Simple“Please print the document in portrait so the text fits correctly on the page.”
In context“The software defaults to portrait orientation for standard letters, though users can toggle to landscape for wider spreadsheets.”
UsageOften used in contrast with 'landscape' mode.
- 03 C1 Advanced
n.a detailed description of a person or a situation in a book or film.
n.a detailed verbal or cinematic description or analysis of a person or subject.
Simple“The book provides a moving portrait of life in a small village.”
In context“The documentary offers a nuanced portrait of the composer, balancing his professional triumphs against his turbulent personal life.”
Synonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.describing something that is taller than it is wide.
adj.relating to or being a format that is taller than it is wide.
Simple“The photographer took several portrait shots of the tall building.”
In context“The designer opted for a portrait layout to emphasise the height of the fashion model in the advertisement.”
From Middle French portraict, pourtraict, nominal use of the past participle of portraire (“portray”), from Latin prōtrahō (< prō- + trahō). Compare typologically English drawing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.