portrait

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   any likeness of a person, in any medium

   the photographer made excellent portraits

2. 2
   noun

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

   In portraits, the grace, and, we may add, the likeness, consists more in the general air than in the exact similitude of every feature.

3. 3
   noun

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

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

4. 4
   verb

   To portray; to draw.

   But all as in most exquisite pictures, they vse to blaze and portrait, not only the daintie lineaments or beautie, but also round about it to shadowe the rude thickets and craggy clifts

5. 5
   adj

   Representing the actual features of an individual; not ideal.

   a portrait bust; a portrait statue

6. 6
   noun

   a word picture of a person's appearance and character

7. 7
   noun

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

Etymology

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