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portrayed

 - 3 dictionary results

por⋅tray

  [pawr-trey, pohr-]
Use portrayed in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to make a likeness of by drawing, painting, carving, or the like.
2. to depict in words; describe graphically.
3. to represent dramatically, as on the stage: He portrayed Napoleon in the play.
Origin:
1300–50; ME portrayen < MF portraire < LL prōtrahere to depict, L: to draw forth, equiv. to prō- pro- 1 + trahere to draw

Related forms:
por⋅tray⋅a⋅ble, adjective
por⋅tray⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
1, 2. picture, delineate, limn. See depict.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To portrayed
por·tray   (pôr-trā', pōr-)   
tr.v.   por·trayed, por·tray·ing, por·trays

  1. To depict or represent pictorially; make a picture of.

  2. To depict or describe in words.

  3. To represent dramatically, as on the stage. See Synonyms at represent.


[Middle English portraien, from Old French portraire : por-, forth (from Latin prō-, forth; see pro-1) + traire, to draw (from Latin trahere, to drag).]
por·tray'a·ble adj., por·tray'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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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)).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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