indistinctly-portrayed
|in-dis-tinct-ly-por-trayed|
🇺🇸
/ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋktli pɔːrˈtreɪd/
🇬🇧
/ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋktli pɔːˈtreɪd/
not clearly depicted
Etymology
'indistinctly-portrayed' is a compound word formed from 'indistinctly' and 'portrayed.' 'Indistinctly' comes from 'indistinct,' meaning 'not clearly marked or defined,' and 'portrayed' is the past participle of 'portray,' meaning 'to depict or describe.'
'Indistinctly' comes from the Latin prefix 'in-' (not) and 'distinctus' (separated, distinguished), while 'portrayed' comes from the Old French 'portraire' (to draw, depict). The compound 'indistinctly-portrayed' is a modern English formation.
Initially, the components meant 'not clearly' and 'depicted,' and together they have always meant 'not clearly depicted.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
described or depicted in a way that is not clear or sharply defined.
The character in the painting is indistinctly-portrayed, making it hard to recognize.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/04 08:00