portrait English · revision 6433

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1560|origins=la traho}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈpɔːtɹeɪt/, /ˈpɔːtɹɪt/ ''(UK)''; /ˈpɔɹtɹət/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|frm|portrait]], the noun use of the past participle of Old French [[m|fro|portraire|t=to paint, depict]] (see [[portray]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) from [[m|fro|por-]] and [[m|fro|traire|t=to draw]], from Latin [[m|la|traho|alt=trahere|t=to draw]];^(Hoad 1986) it is partly a back-formation from [[portraiture]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A drawing, painting or carving of any object: 1560 in MWU, the 1560s in Etymonline, 1570 in Barnhart, in George Buchanan's works.^(MWU 2024)^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A likeness of a person, especially of the face, the main modern sense, is from 1585.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) A statue or effigy was also a portrait (1585), now obsolete.^(OED 1989) A vivid description in words follows.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023) In printing and computing, ''portrait'' format, taller than it is wide, is from 1975 in MWU.^(MWU 2024)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1560 – a picture of any object.^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1585 – a likeness of a person.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1975 – portrait format.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A painting, drawing or photograph of a person, especially of the face.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A vivid description in words.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of a page or screen, taller than it is wide.^(MWU 2024)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[portraitlike]]

+ * [[portraitist]]

+ * [[self-portrait]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[portray]]

+ * [[trait]]

+ * [[portraiture]]

+ * [[tract]]

+ * [[attract]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}