visual

[vizh-oo-uhl]

adjective

1. of or relating to seeing or sight.

   a visual image.

2. used in seeing.

   the visual sense.

3. optical.

4. perceptible by the sense of sight; visible.

   a visual beauty.

5. perceptible by the mind; of the nature of a mental vision.

   a visual impression captured in a line of verse.

noun

1. Usually visuals.

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

   2. photographs, slides, films, charts, or other visual materials, especially as used for illustration or promotion.

2. a rough, preliminary sketch of an advertising layout, showing possible arrangements of material.

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

visual

/ -zjʊ-, ˈvɪʒʊəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, done by, or used in seeing

   visual powers

   visual steering

2. another word for optical

3. capable of being seen; visible

4. 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

Other Word Forms

• nonvisual adjective
• subvisual adjective
• supervisual adjective
• supervisually adverb
• unvisual adjective
• unvisually adverb
• visually adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of visual¹

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 -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of visual¹

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

Example Sentences

While partygoers enjoyed the visual feast, the circumstances around them — empty shelves, reduced benefits and families navigating hunger — added a layer of unintended resonance with the novel’s cautionary tale about excess, illusion and disconnection.

Read more on Salon

It’s nice to see some physical comedy from Day in particular and the sketch’s visual gags work nicely.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The logo suggests that Viktor and Rolf are sending us messages, not with words on a page but through sculptural creations that push out of the atelier and into visual culture.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Aesthetically, lawns provide a visual break and help create flow through a space, connecting different areas.

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"It's not a visual trick, you know? I really want an actor of a certain age to be playing a character," he explains.

Read more on Barron's