portray

verb (used with object)

to make a likeness of by drawing, painting, carving, or the like.

to depict in words; describe graphically.

to represent dramatically, as on the stage: He portrayed Napoleon in the play.

Origin:
1300–50; Middle English portrayen < Middle French portraire < Late Latin prōtrahere to depict, Latin: to draw forth, equivalent to prō- pro-¹ + trahere to draw

Related forms

por·tray·a·ble, adjective

por·tray·er, noun

non·por·tray·a·ble, adjective

pre·por·tray, verb (used with object)

un·por·tray·a·ble, adjective

un·por·trayed, adjective

Synonyms
1, 2. picture, delineate, limn. See depict.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Relevant Questions

How To Portray Confidenc...

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Portray is one of our favorite verbs.

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to expurgate (a written work) by removing or modifying passages considered vulgar or objectionable.

to run away hurriedly; flee.

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Collins

World English Dictionary

portray (pɔːˈtreɪ)

—vb
1.	to represent in a painting, drawing, sculpture, etc; make a portrait of
2.	to make a verbal picture of; depict in words
3.	to play the part of (a character) in a play or film

[C14: from Old French portraire to depict, from Latin prōtrahere to drag forth, bring to light, from pro-¹ + trahere to drag]

por'trayable

—*adj*

por'trayal

—n

por'trayer

—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

portray

c.1300, from Anglo-Fr. purtraire, O.Fr. portraire "to draw, to paint, portray" (12c.), lit. "trace, draw forth," from por- "forth" (from L. pro-) + traire "trace, draw," from L. trahere "to drag, draw" (see tract (1)).

Example sentences

The illustrations also vividly portray certain events in the story, making it

easier to understand.

It is this sense of loss that the film's director wanted to portray.

Maybe some of the museum animal poses were not trying to portray walking gaits.

So far during the trial, both sides have tried to portray their clients as

sympathetic characters.

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delineate depaint describe emote figure image

Matching Quote

"All children's books are about ideals. Adult fiction sets out to portray and then explain the world as it really is; books for children present it as it should be. Child readers come to them hoping for a certain amount of instruction, but chiefly for stories in which the petty restrictions of ordinary life are removed: they want to encounter people who can fly, geese that lay golden eggs, frogs that turn into princes, spaceships piloted by children, anything that measures up to their ideals of adventure and imagination. Adults, on the other hand, are more likely to want to feed the children a set of moral examples. By all means, let them have their fun, but the opportunity of providing models of ideal behaviour is not to be wasted."

-Humphrey Carpenter