Perspective Definition

pər-spĕktĭv

perspectives

noun

perspectives

A mental view or outlook.

American Heritage

The appearance of objects or scenes as determined by their relative distance and positions.

Webster's New World

An understanding of how aspects of a subject relate to each other and to the whole.

A perspective of history; a need to view the problem in the proper perspective.

American Heritage

The relationship or proportion of the parts of a whole, regarded from a particular standpoint or point in time.

Webster's New World

The art of picturing objects or a scene in such a way, e.g., by converging lines (linear perspective), as to show them as they appear to the eye with reference to relative distance or depth.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

adjective

Of perspective.

Webster's New World

Drawn in perspective.

Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Perspective

Noun

Singular:

perspective

Plural:

perspectives

Origin of Perspective

Middle English, attested since 1381, from Old - or Middle French, from the first word of the Medieval Latin perspectiva ars (“science of optics"), the feminine of 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").

From Wiktionary
Middle English science of optics (influenced by French perspective perspective) from Medieval Latin perspectīva (ars) feminine of perspectīvus optical from perspectus past participle of perspicere to inspect per- per- specere to look spek- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition