visual

[ vizh-oo-uhl ]
See synonyms for: visualvisuals on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. of or relating to seeing or sight: a visual image.

  2. used in seeing: the visual sense.

  1. perceptible by the sense of sight; visible: a visual beauty.

  2. perceptible by the mind; of the nature of a mental vision: a visual impression captured in a line of verse.

noun
  1. Usually visuals.

    • the picture elements, as distinguished from the sound elements, in films, television, etc.

    • photographs, slides, films, charts, or other visual materials, especially as used for illustration or promotion.: Compare audio, video.

  2. a rough, preliminary sketch of an advertising layout, showing possible arrangements of material.: Compare comprehensive (def. 5).

  1. any item or element depending on the sense of sight.

Origin of visual

1
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Late Latin vīsuālis, from vīsu(s) “sight” (noun use of past participle of vidēre “to see”) + -ālis -al1

Other words from visual

  • non·vis·u·al, adjective
  • sub·vis·u·al, adjective, noun
  • su·per·vis·u·al, adjective
  • su·per·vis·u·al·ly, adverb
  • un·vis·u·al, adjective
  • un·vis·u·al·ly, adverb

Words that may be confused with visual

Words Nearby visual

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use visual in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for visual

visual

/ (ˈvɪʒʊəl, -zjʊ-) /


adjective
  1. of, relating to, done by, or used in seeing: visual powers; visual steering

  2. another word for optical

  1. capable of being seen; visible

  2. of, occurring as, or induced by a mental image

noun
  1. a sketch to show the proposed layout of an advertisement, as in a newspaper

  2. (often plural) a photograph, film, or other display material

Origin of visual

1
C15: from Late Latin vīsuālis, from Latin vīsus sight, from vidēre to see

Derived forms of visual

  • visually, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012