portrait

Everyday

1. A portrait is a painting, drawing or photograph of a person, especially of the face. tree →
2. A portrait is a detailed description of someone or something in words or film («a portrait of village life»). tree →
3. Portrait (layout) means a page or screen that is taller than it is wide; the opposite is landscape. tree →

In the lessons

In art lessons, children paint self-portraits and study famous portraits like the Mona Lisa. In history, portraits of kings and queens show how they wanted to be seen. In computing and printing, «portrait» and «landscape» are page settings. In English, a writer can give a portrait of a character.

Examples

• She painted a portrait of her grandad. tree →
• The Mona Lisa is a famous portrait. tree →
• Draw a self-portrait using a mirror. tree →
• Old portraits of kings hang in the castle. tree →
• Turn the page to portrait, not landscape. tree →
• The book gives a portrait of life in a mining town. tree →
• A photographer took our class portrait. tree →
• Could the portrait have flattered her? tree →

Note

Countable: portraits. Pronounced «POR-trit» or «POR-trayt». «Self-portrait» = a picture of yourself by yourself. Page layout: portrait = tall, landscape = wide.