perspective

(pər-spĕkˈtĭv)

1. a. A view or vista.
   b. A mental view or outlook: “It is useful occasionally to look at the past to gain a perspective on the present” (Fabian Linden).
2. The appearance of objects in depth as perceived by normal binocular vision.
3. a. The relationship of aspects of a subject to each other and to a whole: a perspective of history; a need to view the problem in the proper perspective.
   b. Subjective evaluation of relative significance; a point of view: the perspective of the displaced homemaker.
   c. The ability to perceive things in their actual interrelations or comparative importance: tried to keep my perspective throughout the crisis.
4. The technique of representing three-dimensional objects and depth relationships on a two-dimensional surface.

Related Forms:

• per·specˈtiv·al adjective

• per·specˈtive·ly adverb