portray

Language

English

Alternative forms

pourtray (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English Category:English terms inherited from Middle English#PORTRAY Category:English terms derived from Middle English#PORTRAY portray, from Middle French Category:English terms derived from Middle French#PORTRAY portraire.

Pronunciation

(non-rhotic)
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /pɔːˈtɹeɪ̯/, [pʰɔːˈtɹ̝̊eɪ̯]Category:English 2-syllable words#PORTRAYCategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#PORTRAY
  - Audio (Southern England): (file)
    Category:English terms with audio pronunciation#PORTRAY
- (General Australian, New Zealand) IPA^(key): /poːˈtɹæ̝ɪ̯/, [pʰoːˈtɹ̝̊æ̝ɪ̯]Category:English 2-syllable words#PORTRAY Category:English terms with IPA pronunciation#PORTRAY
(rhotic)
- (General American, Standard Canadian) IPA^(key): /poɹˈtɹeɪ̯/, [pʰoɹˈtɹ̝̊eɪ̯]; /pɔɹˈtɹeɪ̯/, [pʰɔɹˈtɹ̝̊eɪ̯]Category:English 2-syllable words#PORTRAY Category:English 2-syllable words#PORTRAY Category:English terms with IPA pronunciation#PORTRAY
Rhymes: -eɪ Category:Rhymes:English/eɪ#PORTRAY Category:Rhymes:English/eɪ/2 syllables#PORTRAY
Hyphenation: por‧tray

Verb

portray (third-person singular simple present portrays, present participle portraying, simple past and past participle portrayed)Category:English lemmas#PORTRAY Category:English verbs#PORTRAY Category:English entries with incorrect language header#PORTRAY Category:Pages with entries#PORTRAY Category:Pages with 1 entry#PORTRAY

To paint or draw the likeness of.
I will portray a king on horseback.Category:English terms with usage examples#PORTRAY
(figuratively) To represent by an image or look.
- c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act III, scene ii:
  Upon his browes was pourtraid vgly death,
  And in his eies the furies of his heart,
  That ſhine as Comets, menacing reueng,
  And caſts a pale complexion on his cheeks.
  Category:English terms with quotations#PORTRAY
(figuratively) To describe in words; to convey.
To play a role; to depict a character, person, situation, or event.
For my next movie, I will be portraying Shakespeare.Category:English terms with usage examples#PORTRAY
(obsolete Category:English terms with obsolete senses#PORTRAY) To adorn.

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

to paint or draw the likeness of

Category:Entries with translation boxes#PORTRAY

Bulgarian: изобразя́вам (bg) (izobrazjávam)Category:Terms with Bulgarian translations#PORTRAY, рисувам портрет (risuvam portret)Category:Terms with Bulgarian translations#PORTRAY
Dutch: portretteren (nl)Category:Terms with Dutch translations#PORTRAY
Esperanto: portretiCategory:Terms with Esperanto translations#PORTRAY
Finnish: piirtää (jonkun/jonkin) kuvaCategory:Terms with Finnish translations#PORTRAY
French: dépeindre (fr)Category:Terms with French translations#PORTRAY, représenter (fr)Category:Terms with French translations#PORTRAY, portraire (fr)Category:Terms with French translations#PORTRAY
Galician: retratar (gl)Category:Terms with Galician translations#PORTRAY
German: porträtieren (de)Category:Terms with German translations#PORTRAY, abmalen (de)Category:Terms with German translations#PORTRAY
Greek: απεικονίζω (el) (apeikonízo)Category:Terms with Greek translations#PORTRAY
Aeolic Greek: ἐϊκάσδω (eïkásdō)Category:Terms with Ancient Greek translations#PORTRAY

Ancient Greek: εἰκάζω (eikázō)Category:Terms with Ancient Greek translations#PORTRAY
Hungarian: megfest (hu)Category:Terms with Hungarian translations#PORTRAY
Malagasy: maneho an-tsaryCategory:Terms with Malagasy translations#PORTRAY, mampiseho (mg)Category:Terms with Malagasy translations#PORTRAY
Polish: portretować (pl)Category:Terms with Polish translations#PORTRAY
Portuguese: retratar (pt)Category:Terms with Portuguese translations#PORTRAY
Russian: изобрази́ть (ru) pf (izobrazítʹ)Category:Terms with Russian translations#PORTRAY
Serbo-Croatian:
Latin: portretirati (sh)Category:Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations#PORTRAY
Sorbian:
Lower Sorbian: wótmólowaś impfCategory:Terms with Lower Sorbian translations#PORTRAY
Spanish: retratar (es)Category:Terms with Spanish translations#PORTRAY
Swedish: porträttera (sv)Category:Terms with Swedish translations#PORTRAY

figuratively: to describe in words — see also describe

Category:Entries with translation boxes#PORTRAY

Azerbaijani: qələmə almaqCategory:Terms with Azerbaijani translations#PORTRAY
Bulgarian: описвам (bg) (opisvam)Category:Terms with Bulgarian translations#PORTRAY, обрисувам (bg) (obrisuvam)Category:Terms with Bulgarian translations#PORTRAY
Esperanto: prezenti (eo)Category:Terms with Esperanto translations#PORTRAY
Finnish: kuvailla (fi)Category:Terms with Finnish translations#PORTRAY
French: décrire (fr)Category:Terms with French translations#PORTRAY
German: porträtieren (de)Category:Terms with German translations#PORTRAY
Hungarian: leír (hu)Category:Terms with Hungarian translations#PORTRAY, lefest (hu)Category:Terms with Hungarian translations#PORTRAY
Korean: 묘사하다 (ko) (myosahada)Category:Terms with Korean translations#PORTRAY
Polish: portretować (pl)Category:Terms with Polish translations#PORTRAY, opisywać (pl)Category:Terms with Polish translations#PORTRAY
Swedish: skildra (sv)Category:Terms with Swedish translations#PORTRAY, porträttera (sv)Category:Terms with Swedish translations#PORTRAY

to play a role

Category:Entries with translation boxes#PORTRAY

Bulgarian: играя роля (igraja rolja)Category:Terms with Bulgarian translations#PORTRAY
Chinese:
Mandarin: 扮演 (zh) (bànyǎn)Category:Terms with Mandarin translations#PORTRAY
Finnish: esittää (fi)Category:Terms with Finnish translations#PORTRAY
Russian: изобража́ть (ru) impf (izobražátʹ)Category:Terms with Russian translations#PORTRAY
Swedish: gestalta (sv)Category:Terms with Swedish translations#PORTRAY, porträttera (sv)Category:Terms with Swedish translations#PORTRAY

Anagrams

parroty, protray, Praytor

Category:en:Art#PORTRAY

Category:English 2-syllable words Category:English lemmas Category:English terms derived from Middle English Category:English terms derived from Middle French Category:English terms inherited from Middle English Category:English terms with IPA pronunciation Category:English terms with audio pronunciation Category:English terms with obsolete senses Category:English terms with quotations Category:English terms with usage examples Category:English verbs Category:Entries with translation boxes Category:Pages with 1 entry Category:Pages with entries Category:Rhymes:English/eɪ Category:Rhymes:English/eɪ/2 syllables Category:Terms with Ancient Greek translations Category:Terms with Azerbaijani translations Category:Terms with Bulgarian translations Category:Terms with Dutch translations Category:Terms with Esperanto translations Category:Terms with Finnish translations Category:Terms with French translations Category:Terms with Galician translations Category:Terms with German translations Category:Terms with Greek translations Category:Terms with Hungarian translations Category:Terms with Korean translations Category:Terms with Lower Sorbian translations Category:Terms with Malagasy translations Category:Terms with Mandarin translations Category:Terms with Polish translations Category:Terms with Portuguese translations Category:Terms with Russian translations Category:Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations Category:Terms with Spanish translations Category:Terms with Swedish translations Category:en:Art