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Definition of portraitist

portraitist

/ˈpɔːrtrətɪst/
por · trait · ist
Plural:portraitists
•
Adjective:portraitistic
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portraitist Lexical Profile

portraitist Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

An artist, such as a painter, photographer, or sculptor, who specializes in creating portraits of people.

Example

"The royal family commissioned a renowned portraitist to paint the official likeness of the new monarch."

2

A writer, biographer, or filmmaker who produces vivid, detailed descriptions or character studies of individuals.

Example

"As a literary portraitist, she excelled at capturing the subtle psychological contradictions of her subjects."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for portraitist

• Nearby Words

porto alegre
portobello
portrait
portraitist
portraiture
portray
portrayal

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the early 18th century from 'portrait' (borrowed from Old French, past participle of 'portraire', meaning 'to draw forth or depict') plus the agentive suffix '-ist'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Portraitist. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/portraitist
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