portrait
gb/pˈɔɹtɹɪt/ us/pˈɔɹtɹɪt/
B1
English
~ 5900
portré, arckép, jellemrajz, álló tájolás, álló formátum
NOUN
B1
1
Usage pattern:
a portrait of [someone]
The museum is displaying a new portrait of the queen by a young local artist.
A múzeumban a királynőről készült új portrét állítanak ki, amelyet egy fiatal helyi művész festett.
She hung a large family portrait above the fireplace.
Egy nagy családi portrét akasztott a kandalló fölé.
The photographer asked him to sit still while she adjusted the light for his portrait.
The official presidential portrait will be unveiled next month.
He specializes in black-and-white portrait photography.
Learner examples
They took a portrait of my grandfather for his birthday.
Portrét készítettek a nagyapámról a születésnapjára.
A big portrait of my parents is on the wall.
A szüleimről készült nagy portré van a falon.
The artist painted a portrait of the famous singer.
We had our family portrait taken at a studio.
She likes to draw portraits of her friends.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *portrait* for any kind of picture. In everyday English, *portrait* is usually for pictures that focus on a person’s face and upper body. For other images, especially of places or things, *picture* or *photo* is more natural. Learners may also confuse this sense with *portrait* meaning page orientation on a screen or document.
Meaning
painting or photo of a person
Collocations
a portrait of [someone]
|official portrait
|paint a portrait
|family portrait
|portrait painter
|portrait photograph
Synonyms
likeness (More formal; stresses how accurately the image shows the person’s appearance.)
|
portraiture (More formal and uncountable; usually refers to the art or style of making portraits, not a single picture.)
Antonyms
landscape (In art, refers to pictures of natural scenery instead of people.)
Themes
art
|media
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A picture of a person’s face and body, usually made by a painter, photographer, or artist.
A painting, drawing, or photograph that shows a person, usually focusing on the face and upper body.
NOUN
B2
2
portré
B2
jellemrajz
C1
Usage pattern:
a portrait of [someone/something]
The book offers a vivid portrait of life in a small coastal town.
A könyv érzékletes portrét rajzol egy kis tengerparti város életéről.
The documentary is an intimate portrait of the singer’s troubled final years.
A dokumentumfilm bensőséges portré az énekes zaklatott utolsó éveiről.
Her article paints a complex portrait of a leader under pressure.
The novelist creates a chilling portrait of a society ruled by fear.
Together, the interviews form a rich portrait of the city’s immigrant communities.
Learner examples
The movie gives a dark portrait of life in prison.
A film sötét képet fest a börtönéletről.
The writer draws a kind portrait of his parents.
Az író szeretetteljes portrét rajzol a szüleiről.
This report is a clear portrait of the problems in our school.
The film is a portrait of two brothers who do not speak to each other.
The article is a portrait of a young doctor working in a busy hospital.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think *portrait* only refers to paintings or photos. It is also common in news and books to mean a detailed description or representation in words. In this sense, it is often used with verbs like *paint*, *offer*, or *create* in a figurative way, as in “the film paints a portrait of modern city life.”
Meaning
detailed description of a person/situation
Collocations
vivid portrait
|intimate portrait
|psychological portrait
|biographical portrait
|a portrait of life in [place]
Synonyms
profile (Often used for a short written piece about a person’s life and character, especially in newspapers or magazines.)
|
depiction (More formal and general; can refer to any way of showing something, not only detailed character studies.)
Antonyms
caricature (Exaggerates or distorts features for effect, rather than offering a balanced, realistic picture.)
Themes
literature
|media
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A careful description of a person or situation that shows what they are really like.
A detailed description or representation of a person, group, or situation, especially in writing or speech, that shows character or typical qualities.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
3
álló tájolás
B2
Usage pattern:
in portrait (orientation)
Make sure the document is set to portrait before you print it.
Nyomtatás előtt ellenőrizd, hogy a dokumentum álló tájolásra van-e állítva.
The app works better in portrait orientation on smaller phones.
Az alkalmazás kisebb telefonokon álló tájolásban jobban működik.
He rotated the tablet from landscape to portrait to read the article more comfortably.
The poster won’t fit if you keep it in portrait; change it to landscape.
Most social media videos are designed to be watched in portrait on a phone.
Learner examples
Please print this page in portrait, not landscape.
Kérlek, ezt az oldalt álló formátumban nyomtasd ki, ne fekvőben.
Turn your phone to portrait to see the full picture.
Fordítsd álló helyzetbe a telefonodat, hogy lásd a teljes képet.
This chart looks better in portrait orientation.
I keep my tablet in portrait when I read books.
You can change from landscape to portrait in the settings.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse *portrait* as orientation with *portrait* as a picture of a person. In computer or printer menus, *portrait* almost always means the vertical page or screen layout, not a type of picture. When talking about the shape of a page, *portrait* is almost always paired with *landscape*.
Meaning
vertical page or screen layout
Collocations
portrait orientation
|in portrait
|switch to portrait
|print in portrait
|portrait or landscape
Synonyms
vertical (General word for direction; *portrait* is the specific computing/printing term that contrasts with *landscape*.)
Antonyms
landscape (The opposite page or screen orientation, wider than it is tall.)
Themes
technology
|design
|work
Definition
The vertical shape of a page or screen when it is higher than it is wide.
A way of turning or printing a page or screen so that it is taller than it is wide, used especially in computing and printing.
Grammar
Dictionary form
portrait
IPA
GB/pˈɔɹtɹɪt/
US/pˈɔɹtɹɪt/
Syllables & stress
por - trait (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (por)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: portrait
- Plural: portraits
Word family
Expressions
family portrait
1/fˈæmɪli pˈɔɹtɹɪt/
fixed phrase
portrait of a family group
A picture of the members of one family together, usually taken by a professional photographer.
Examples
- They booked a studio session to get a new family portrait.
- An old family portrait of my grandparents hangs in the hallway.
- Every year they take a family portrait to send with their holiday cards.
portrait mode
1/pˈɔɹtɹɪt mˈoʊd/
fixed phrase
camera setting for portraits
A setting on a phone or camera that is used to take photos of people, often making the face sharp and the background blurry.
Examples
- She switched to portrait mode to take a close-up photo of her friend.
- On many phones, portrait mode automatically blurs the background behind the person.
- Try using portrait mode if you want the person to stand out more in the picture.
self-portrait
1/sˈɛlf pˈɔɹtɹɪt/
fixed phrase
portrait made by the subject
A picture of a person that is made by that same person, for example a painting or a photo they took of themselves.
Examples
- The artist painted a self-portrait at the age of twenty.
- For the class project, each student had to create a digital self-portrait.
- Her new exhibition is made up of a series of self-portraits.