portraitist

noun

por·​trait·​ist ˈpȯr-trə-tist How to pronounce portraitist (audio)
-ˌtrā-
: a maker of portraits

Examples of portraitist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Renowned Spanish genre painter and portraitist Raimundo de Madrazo’s paintings of people will be on display. Alyson Rodriguez, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026 Celebrated Rococo portraitists including Maurice-Quentin de La Tour, François Boucher, and Jean-Baptiste Perronneau frequently used these soft shades in their paintings, indelibly linking pink with wealth, power, and sophistication. Adam Mansuroglu, Robb Report, 28 Feb. 2026 Interdisciplinary artist Carl Cheng won the Career Achievement Award, while portraitist Greg Breda won the Public Recognition Award. News Desk, Artforum, 13 Feb. 2026 Has Shriver lost her playful self-awareness and allowed the curmudgeon to overwhelm the literary portraitist? Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for portraitist

Word History

Etymology

probably borrowed from French portraitiste, from portrait portrait entry 1 + -iste -ist entry 1

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of portraitist was in 1857

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Portraitist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/portraitist. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

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