‘POV’: Definition, Meaning and Examples

Did you come across the term ‘POV’ and are unsure what it means? In this article, we’ll look at the definition, origin, and examples of the acronym.

If you’re eager to hear the answer:

• ‘POV’ stands for ‘point of view.’
• It can be used to refer to someone’s opinion, a specific method of appraisal, a certain film technique, or the position of a story’s narrator in relation to the story. You will commonly come across memes and social media videos that utilize the concept of ‘POV.’

What Does 'POV' Mean?

‘POV’ is an acronym that stands for ‘point of view.’

There are a number of related possible meanings of this term:

• Standpoint; a stated or specified manner of appraisal or consideration
• An attitude, opinion, or judgment
• A method of shooting a film or a scene that helps to communicate the attitude of the writer or director toward a character in a scene or the material
• The position of a story’s narrator in relation to that same story, as indicated by the attitude the narrator has towards other characters and the outlook through which the occurrences are depicted

All of these definitions describe different applications of the concept that a specific perspective is shared belonging to an individual or an entity. This phrase is also used in social media to signify that a specific scenario is coming from the perspective of a particular person.

Where Does 'POV' Come From?

The term ‘POV’ was originally a movie term. It was used to describe scenes where the camera shows a perspective as if looking through the eyes of the protagonist or director.

It’s common for a POV camera angle to be used during sports broadcasts, meaning that audiences can see the game from the point of view of one of the athletes.

‘POV’ is also frequently used in video games, as players can sometimes choose to play the game from the ‘POV’ of the character rather than seeing the character on the screen. Instead, they might see the hands or feet of the character, just as you would if you were inhabiting their body and looking through their eyes.

What Does ‘POV’ Mean on TikTok?

The phrase ‘POV’ has come a long way since it was first used in films. If you regularly use social media like Instagram and TikTok, you’ve probably encountered the phenomenon of ‘POV’ videos.

This is a method used by social media creators to invite their audience to experience the world through their eyes or to make a statement as if they are someone other than themselves. You’ll also commonly find ‘POV’ used in memes to describe how a person would feel, think, or act in a certain circumstance.

Examples of 'POV' In Sentences

If you’re communicating verbally, it’s much more common to say ‘point of view’ than ‘POV.’ However, if you’re writing an informal message to someone online or making a social media post, using the acronym ‘POV’ is quite common.

How would 'POV' be used in a sentence?

Let’s take a look at some examples:

• “This campaign could be a big success from a publicity POV, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to win.”
• “Everyone thinks that they can see things from my POV, but they’ll never understand how it feels to go through what I went through.”
• “I get that from the POV of everyone at the office, this is a bad move, but the higher-ups are gung-ho about making these changes.”
• “I tried watching that movie but felt like the POV scenes were so weird. It felt so uncomfortable I had to turn it off.”
• “I don’t know whether you can see things from my POV, but this is a bad decision.”
• “I tried to show my mom that meme that says “POV: it's your first day of high school,” but she didn’t get it.”

Final Thoughts About 'POV'

‘POV’ is an acronym that can be used in various situations, whether describing something from your standpoint or creating a social media video where you are pretending to view a situation from someone else’s perspective. Though it first emerged due to a filming technique in movies, it has expanded to refer to the concept of seeing things from someone’s ‘point of view’ much more broadly.

Are you ready to learn more English phrases and expand your vocabulary? Check out our idioms blog for expressions, sayings, and more!