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   Per·spec·tive

   /pərˈspektiv/

   

   noun

   • 1. the art of drawing solid objects on a two-dimensional surface so as to give the right impression of their height, width, depth, and position in relation to each other when viewed from a particular point: "a perspective drawing"
   • ▪ a picture drawn in perspective, especially one appearing to enlarge or extend the actual space, or to give the effect of distance: "a trick of perspective"
   • ▪ a view or prospect. Similar viewvistapanoramaprospectbird's-eye viewsweepoutlookaspectarchaic:lookout
   • ▪ the relation of two figures in the same plane, such that pairs of corresponding points lie on concurrent lines, and corresponding lines meet in collinear points.
   • 2. a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view: "most guidebook history is written from the editor's perspective" Similar outlookviewviewpointpoint of viewstandpointpositionstandstanceangleslantattitudeframe of mindframe of referenceapproachway of looking/thinkingvantage pointinterpretation
   • ▪ true understanding of the relative importance of things; a sense of proportion: "we must keep a sense of perspective about what he's done"
   • 3. an apparent spatial distribution in perceived sound.

   Word Origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘optics’): from medieval Latin perspectiva (ars) ‘(science of) optics’, from perspect- ‘looked at closely’, from the verb perspicere, from per- ‘through’ + specere ‘to look’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. perspectival adjective
   • 2. perspectively adverb

   Scrabble Points: 20

   • P

     3

   • E

     1

   • R

     1

   • S

     1

   • P

     3

   • E

     1

   • C

     3

   • T

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   • I

     1

   • V

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   • E

     1

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