perspective
per-SPEK-tiv
/pərˈspektɪv/
A particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.
Can refer to both a mental outlook and the artistic technique of representing three-dimensional space.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'perspicere', meaning 'to see clearly' or 'to look through'. In the Renaissance, it became a technical term for drawing objects so they appear to have depth.
Word relationships
- viewpoint: Viewpoint is more literal; perspective often implies the distance or context that shapes the view.
- outlook: Outlook usually refers to a general attitude toward the future.
- blindness: The inability to see or understand a situation.
Commonly confused with
- prospective: Prospective means 'likely to happen in the future'; perspective is a 'way of seeing'.
Word family
- perspectival (adjective): Relating to perspective.
Collocations
- gain perspective
- from my perspective
- historical perspective
Idioms & expressions
- put things into perspective
Example sentences
- "Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth." Philosophy
- "Traveling to different countries gave her a completely new perspective on life." Personal growth
Memory hook
You look 'per' (through) your own lens to get a 'perspective'. Seeing through.
When not to use
Avoid using it as a synonym for 'opinion' if you mean a simple preference; perspective implies a broader framework.
Fun facts
- Linear perspective was 'discovered' or formalized by Filippo Brunelleschi in the early 15th century.
Related words
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