portrait
UK[ˈpɔːtreɪt]US[ˈpɔːrtrət]
n
a painting, drawing, or photograph of a person, especially one showing only the face and upper body.
n
a detailed description of something or someone.
Morpheme Breakdown
por
trait
por
forward
trait
drawing, line
Etymology
the word 'portrait' entered english from middle french 'portrait', itself derived from the past participle 'portraire', meaning 'to depict, portray'. this french verb is a compound of the prefix 'por-' (a variant of 'pro-', from latin 'prō-', meaning 'forth') and the verb 'traire' (from latin 'trahere', meaning 'to draw, pull'). the literal sense is thus 'to draw forth' or 'to bring to light by drawing'. the semantic evolution moved from the physical act of drawing lines to the specific artistic representation of a person's likeness. over time, the meaning expanded metaphorically to include any vivid, detailed verbal description, capturing the essence of a subject much like a visual artist would.
Analysis
Structure: por (forward) + trait (drawing, line)
- por: from latin 'prō-', meaning 'forward, forth, in front of'.
- trait: from old french 'trait', meaning 'a drawing, a line', from latin 'tractus', meaning 'a drawing, a line', from 'trahere' ('to draw, pull').
Examples
she commissioned a formal portrait of her family.
the biography provides a fascinating portrait of the artist's early struggles.
his latest novel is a poignant portrait of life in a small coastal town.