portray Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb portray in words
    • The book portrays the actor as a selfish person
  2. verb make a portrait of
    depict; limn.
    • Goya wanted to portray his mistress, the Duchess of Alba
  3. verb assume or act the character of
    impersonate.
    • She impersonates Madonna
    • The actor portrays an elderly, lonely man
  4. verb represent abstractly, for example in a painting, drawing, or sculpture
    present.
    • The father is portrayed as a good-looking man in this painting

WordNet

Por*tray" transitive verb
Etymology
OE. pourtraien, OF. portraire, pourtraire, F. portraire, fr. L. protrahere, protractum, to draw or drag forth; pro forward, forth + trahere to draw. See Trace, v. t., and cf. Protract.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle portrayed ; present participle & verbal noun Portraying
Definitions
  1. To paint or draw the likeness of; as, to portray a king on horseback.
    Take a tile, and lay it before thee, and portray upon it the city, even Jerusalem. Ezek. iv. 1.
  2. Hence, figuratively, to describe in words.
  3. To adorn with pictures. R.
    Spear and helmets thronged, and shields Various with boastful arguments potrayed. Milton.

Webster 1913