Meaning & use

portrait

noun·Academic

A painting, drawing, or photograph that represents a particular person, especially their face.

See it in a sentence

The artist spent weeks painting a portrait of the mayor for the town hall.

She hung a family portrait above the fireplace in the living room.

A note on using this word

Figuratively, 'portrait' can describe a detailed written description, as in 'the novel paints a portrait of small-town life'.

Words with a similar meaning

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