Definition

A person who creates portraits, typically through painting or photography.

Example

The portraitist captured the essence of her subject in a beautiful painting.

Conversation

I recently visited an art gallery that featured a famous portraitist.

Oh really? What kind of portraits did they have?

Mostly traditional ones, but some were quite modern and abstract.

That sounds interesting! I would love to see the work of a skilled portraitist.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Portraitist → It is formed from "portrait" (from Old French *portrait*, meaning a likeness or representation) and "-ist" (meaning a person who practices or is concerned with something). A portraitist is a person who creates likenesses or representations of others, typically in art.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'likeness' ('portrait') created by a 'person' ('-ist') — that’s what a portraitist does.

Visually Confused Words