Dictionary Home » Dictionary Definitions » portray

portray

Listen See in Thesaurus See in a sentence

To portray is to depict or describe something or someone in a certain way.

(verb)

When you make everyone believe your spouse is mean, this is an example of a situation where you portray your spouse as a mean person.

See portray in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb

to make a picture or portrait of; depict; delineate
to make a word picture of; describe
to play the part of as in a play or film

Origin: ME purtreien < MFr portraire < L protrahere, to draw forth < pro-, forth + trahere, to draw

Related Forms:

portrayable adjective
portrayer noun

See portray in American Heritage Dictionary 4

transitive verb por·trayed, por·tray·ing, por·trays

To depict or represent pictorially; make a picture of.
To depict or describe in words.
To represent dramatically, as on the stage. See Synonyms at represent.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English portraien

Origin: , from Old French portraire

Origin: : por-, forth (from Latin prō-, forth; see pro-¹)

Origin: + traire, to draw (from Latin trahere, to drag)

Related Forms:

por·trayˈa·ble adjective

por·trayˈer noun

Learn more about portray

portray synonyms

portray in a sentence

portray quotes

link/cite print suggestion box

More from YD

» more results...

Portuguese East Africa