Spanish Conversation · Level 24
88 words
Spanish word
perfilar
Pronunciation
IPA/peɾfiˈlaɾ/
Meaning
- verbsketch
Example
El autor perfiló al protagonista en pocas frases.
The author sketched the protagonist in a few sentences.
More examples
Antes de publicar, tenemos que perfilar los detalles del artículo.
Before publishing, we have to finalize the details of the article.
Core concept
Concise outline of a person's salient traits.
Common phrases
perfilar una idea
sketch an idea
perfilar los detalles
finalize the details
perfilar un plan
outline a plan
Similar words
describir: Describes a person or thing's qualities or appearance in words.
retratar: Portrays a person or scene visually or in writing, showing appearance and character.
caracterizar: Characterizes by highlighting distinctive qualities.
dibujar: Draws an object's or person's external form with lines or color.
Definition in Spanish
Presentar brevemente los rasgos más importantes de una persona, cosa o idea, sin detallar los pormenores.
Word origin
Perfilar derives from Spanish perfil (via French profil), whose sense of profile or contour gives the verb the idea of tracing an outline and thus sketching main features of a person or thing.
Usage tips
- English profile often implies investigation or judgment, while Spanish perfilar usually means highlighting salient traits and takes a direct object, as in perfilar a alguien or perfilar un personaje.
Other meanings
- describeverb
- outlineverb
Opposites
- difuminarblurverb
- desdibujarobscureverb
Related words
- perfiloutlinenoun
- perfiladowell-definedadjective