tr.v., -trayed, -tray·ing, -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).]

portrayable por·tray'a·ble adj.
portrayer por·tray'er n.

verb

1. To present a lifelike image of: delineate, depict, describe, express, image, limn, picture, render, represent, show. See show/hide.
2. To play the part of: act, do, enact, impersonate, perform, play, play-act, represent. See action/inaction, performing arts, substitute.

IN BRIEF: To represent visually or verbally; illustrate. Also: To represent in a dramatic presentation.

Never does a man portray his own character more vividly than in his manner of portraying another. — Jean Paul Richter (1763-1825)

Common misspelling(s) of portrayed

• protrayed

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - portrættere, skildre

Nederlands (Dutch)
afbeelden, portretteren, beschrijven, uitbeelden

Français (French)
v. tr. - dépeindre, décrire, présenter, (Cin, Théât) interpréter, évoquer, (Art) peindre, représenter (une scène)

Deutsch (German)
v. - darstellen, porträtieren, schildern

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - απεικονίζω, ζωγραφίζω, (μτφ.) περιγράφω παραστατικά

Italiano (Italian)
raffigurare, fotografare, ritrarre, dipingere, rappresentare

Português (Portuguese)
v. - retratar

Русский (Russian)
изобразить, описать, сыграть роль

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - representar, pintar, retratar, describir

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - porträttera, avbilda, skildra, framställa

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
画, 把...描绘成, 描写, 扮演

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 畫, 把...描繪成, 描寫, 扮演

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - (풍경 따위를) 그리다, ~의 초상을 그리다, 기술

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 描く, 肖像を描く, 描写する, 役を演じる, 表現する

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يصور, يمثل‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮תיאר, צייר, שרטט דיוקן, גילם תפקיד (במחזה)‬

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