perspective
Etymology

From Middle English perspective, attested since 1381, from Old French - or Middle French -, from the first word of the Medieval Latin perspectiva, the feminine of Latin perspectivus, from perspectus, the past participle of perspicere ("to inspect, look through"), itself from per- ("through") + specere ("to look at"); the noun sense was influenced or mediated by Italian prospettiva, from prospetto ("prospect").

Pronunciation
  • (America) IPA: /pɚˈspɛk.tɪv/
Noun

perspective

  1. A view, vista or outlook.
  2. The appearance of depth in objects, especially as perceived using binocular vision.
  3. The technique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface.
  4. (dated) An artwork that represents three-dimensional objects in this way.
  5. (figuratively) The choice of a single angle or point of view from which to sense, categorize, measure or codify experience.
  6. The ability to consider things in such relative perspective.
  7. A perspective glass.
    • 1645, Joseph Hall, The Peace-Maker:
      […] our predecessors; who could never have believed, that there were such lunets about some of the planets, as our late perspectives have descried […]
  8. A sound recording technique to adjust and integrate sound sources seemingly naturally.
Translations Translations Translations Translations Adjective

perspective (not comparable)

  1. Of, in or relating to perspective.
    a perspective drawing
  2. (obsolete) Providing visual aid; of or relating to the science of vision; optical.
    • 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Seeming Wise”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC ↗:
      perspective glasses
Translations
  • French: perspectif
  • Portuguese: perspectivo, perspéctico



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