Meanings
plural perspectives
- countableuncountableA view, vista or outlook.
1 more example
And according to Hughes, HM Treasury is still sceptical about rail electrification. "It's not because they don't see electrification as a good thing, but I think when you look at it from the UK-wide perspective, if you have £x billion to spend on decarbonisation, you don't necessarily start with rail. Rail's not where you get the biggest bang for the buck in terms of decarbonisation."
2025 February 5, Peter Plisner, “East West Rail: progress from west to east”, in RAIL, number 1028, page 30 - countableuncountableThe appearance of depth in objects, especially as perceived using binocular vision.
- countableuncountableThe technique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface.
- countabledateduncountableAn artwork that represents three-dimensional objects in this way.
- countablefigurativelyuncountableThe choice of a single angle or point of view from which to sense, categorize, measure or codify experience.
- countableuncountableThe ability to consider things in such relative perspective.
- countableuncountableA perspective glass.
[…] our predecessors; who could never have believed, that there were such lunets about some of the planets, as our late perspectives have descried […]
1645, Joseph Hall, The Peace-Maker
- not comparableOf, in or relating to perspective.
a perspective drawing
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe appearance of things relative to one another as determined by their distance from the viewer
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinperspectivus“of sight, optical”
- Medieval Latinperspectiva ars“science of optics”
- Middle Englishperspective, perspectif
- Englishperspective
From Middle English perspective, perspectif, attested since 1381, from Old French or Middle French, from the first word of the Medieval Latin perspectiva ars (“science of optics”), the feminine of Latin perspectivus (“of sight, optical”), 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”).
More words from Middle English, Medieval Latin, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic مَنْظُور, نَظْرَة
- مَنْظُور (manẓūr)view, vista or outlook
- نَظْرَة (naẓra)view, vista or outlook
Bulgarian перспекти́ва, перспекти́ва
- перспекти́ва (perspektíva)view, vista or outlook
- перспекти́ва (perspektíva)appearance of depth in objects
- проекция (proekcija)technique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface
- перспекти́ва (perspektíva)choice of a single point of view
- перспекти́вен (perspektíven)of, in or relating to perspective
Catalan perspectiva, perspectiva
- perspectivaview, vista or outlook
- perspectivaappearance of depth in objects
- perspectivatechnique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface
Czech perspektiva
- perspektivatechnique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface
Danish udsigt, perspektiv
- udsigtview, vista or outlook
- perspektivview, vista or outlook
- perspektiviskof, in or relating to perspective
Dutch perspectief, perspectief
- perspectiefview, vista or outlook
- perspectiefappearance of depth in objects
- dieptezichtappearance of depth in objects
- perspectieftechnique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface
- doorzichtkundetechnique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface
- perspectiefchoice of a single point of view
- perspectivischof, in or relating to perspective
Esperanto sinteno, perspektivo
- sintenoview, vista or outlook
- perspektivoappearance of depth in objects
Finnish näkymä, perspektiivi
- näkymäview, vista or outlook
- perspektiiviappearance of depth in objects
- syvyysvaikutelmaappearance of depth in objects
- perspektiivikuvatechnique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface
- projektiotechnique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface
- näkökulmachoice of a single point of view
French perspectif
- perspectifof, in or relating to perspective
German Aussicht, Perspektive
- Aussichtview, vista or outlook
- Perspektiveappearance of depth in objects
- Perspektivetechnique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface
- Perspektivechoice of a single point of view
Greek προοπτική, προοπτική
- προοπτική (prooptikí)appearance of depth in objects
- προοπτική (prooptikí)technique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface
- προοπτικός (prooptikós)of, in or relating to perspective
Hindi दृष्टिकोण, परिप्रेक्ष्य
- दृष्टिकोण (dŕṣṭikoṇ)view, vista or outlook
- परिप्रेक्ष्य (pariprekṣya)view, vista or outlook
- नज़र (nazar)view, vista or outlook
- परिप्रेक्ष्य (pariprekṣya)appearance of depth in objects
- दृष्टिकोण (dŕṣṭikoṇ)choice of a single point of view
- नज़र (nazar)choice of a single point of view
Indonesian perspektif, perspektif
- perspektifview, vista or outlook
- perspektiftechnique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface
Italian prospettiva, prospettiva
- prospettivaview, vista or outlook
- prospettivaappearance of depth in objects
- prospettivatechnique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface
- prospettivachoice of a single point of view
Polish punkt widzenia, perspektywa
- punkt widzeniaview, vista or outlook
- perspektywaview, vista or outlook
Portuguese perspectiva, perspetiva
- perspectivaview, vista or outlook
- perspetivaview, vista or outlook
- perspectivaappearance of depth in objects
- perspetivaappearance of depth in objects
- perspectivatechnique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface
- perspetivatechnique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface
- perspectivachoice of a single point of view
- perspetivachoice of a single point of view
- perspectivoof, in or relating to perspective
- perspécticoof, in or relating to perspective
Russian перспекти́ва, вид
- перспекти́ва (perspektíva)view, vista or outlook
- вид (vid)view, vista or outlook
- обзо́р (obzór)view, vista or outlook
- ра́курс (rákurs)view, vista or outlook
- перспекти́ва (perspektíva)appearance of depth in objects
- перспекти́ва (perspektíva)technique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface
- прое́кция (projékcija)technique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface
- перспекти́ва (perspektíva)choice of a single point of view
Slovak perspektíva
- perspektívatechnique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface
Spanish perspectiva, perspectiva
- perspectivaview, vista or outlook
- perspectivaappearance of depth in objects
- perspectivatechnique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface
Tagalog sawang
- sawangtechnique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface
Thai ทัศนมิติ, มุมมอง
- ทัศนมิติtechnique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface
- มุมมอง (mum-mɔɔng)choice of a single point of view
Turkish perspektif
- perspektifview, vista or outlook
Ukrainian перспекти́ва, огля́д
- перспекти́ва (perspektýva)view, vista or outlook
- огля́д (ohljád)view, vista or outlook
- ра́курс (rákurs)view, vista or outlook
- перспекти́ва (perspektýva)appearance of depth in objects
- перспекти́ва (perspektýva)technique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface
- прое́кція (proékcija)technique of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface
- перспекти́ва (perspektýva)choice of a single point of view
Cite this entry
perspective. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/perspective
“perspective.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/perspective. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “perspective,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/perspective.
Source: perspective on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.