contour
Americannoun
-
the outline of a figure or body; the edge or line that defines or bounds a shape or object.
- Synonyms:
- boundary, form, configuration
-
Phonetics. a distinctive pattern of changes in pitch, stress, or tone extending across all or part of an utterance, especially across a sentence, and contributing to meaning.
verb (used with object)
-
to mark with contour lines.
-
to make or form the contour or outline of.
-
to build (a road, railroad track, etc.) in conformity with the contour of the land.
-
to mold or shape so as to fit a certain configuration.
cars with seats that are contoured for comfort.
-
to apply foundation and bronzer along the natural bone structure of (the face) to create definition.
ways to contour your nose.
adjective
-
molded or shaped to fit a particular contour or form.
contour seats.
-
Agriculture. of or used in a system of plowing, cultivating, sowing, etc., along the contour lines of the land in order to trap water runoff and prevent erosion.
noun
-
the outline of a mass of land, figure, or body; a defining line
-
-
See contour line
-
( as modifier )
a contour map
-
-
(often plural) the shape or surface, esp of a curving form
the contours of her body were full and round
-
(modifier) shaped to fit the form of something
a contour chair
-
a rising and falling variation pattern, as in music and intonation
verb
-
to shape so as to form the contour of something
-
to mark contour lines on
-
to construct (a road, railway, etc) to follow the outline of the land
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
contoursimple
-
contourssimple
-
have contouredperfect
-
has contouredperfect
-
am contouringprogressive
-
are contouringprogressive
-
is contouringprogressive
-
have been contouringperfect progressive
-
has been contouringperfect progressive
Past
-
contouredsimple
-
had contouredperfect
-
was contouringprogressive
-
were contouringprogressive
-
had been contouringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of contour
First recorded in 1655–65; from French, equivalent to con- + tour “a turn,” modeled on Italian contorno, derivative of contornare “to outline”; see origin at con-, tour, turn
Explanation
Contour is the outline or shape of something. A shoe that fits well along the contours or shape of your foot is a good fit. Contour comes from the Italian contorno meaning "to draw a line," which is precisely what you are doing when you trace the contour of something. A road that contours a mountain follows along its edge and a mattress that contours to your body, adjusts to your shape. You might buy the kind of shoes that are designed to contour or mold to the shape of your feet over time, in which case you'll have to break them in.
Vocabulary lists containing contour
Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 3
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
ACT Vocabulary List
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Butterfly Yellow
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Yes, the contour palette is back, though Patrick says “no-makeup makeup” is still very much here.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 8, 2025
Sometimes they are used to contour or shape the nose or lips.
From BBC ● Dec. 3, 2025
And even that contour was ever-changing, different depending on what form Mansfield took on to please the world.
From Salon ● Jun. 27, 2025
Yeah, the Chinese government is definitely mining my data, but so is Mark Zuckerberg, and Zuckerberg’s Facebook never gave me the perfect step-by-step tutorial of how to contour my face for a truly flawless finish.
From Slate ● Jan. 16, 2025
Such a line gives the contour or shape of the melodic line.
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
Far easier to build the observatory of brick and to spray it with stucco, approximating concrete’s smooth contours.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
For the new research, the team built a collection of silly sprinklers with different contours.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026
The contours of Pride appear in my mind whenever I’m watching a movie that I feel speaks to my own uniquely homosexual sensibilities, which frequently change.
From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2026
Bassist and singer Geddy Lee, his voice eerily well-preserved for a 72-year-old, rode the contours of these numbers with electrifying menace and character, justifying all the risks inherent in this reunion tour.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026
Outside is the moon, the contours of trees, the buildings of the campus, the lights that dot the path.
From "We Are Okay" by Nina LaCour
Boone’s design, patented in 1892, was narrow and curved, rather than wide and flat, allowing garments to be slipped over the board, and making it far easier to iron sleeves and contoured bodices.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026
All around the Rams locker room Sunday evening, players were stretched out on contoured beds, their legs encased in compression sleeves.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 17, 2023
The quoted language is aimed at the Supreme Court’s requirement that restrictions on speech to protect judicial proceedings be contoured no more broadly than required to meet the threat.
From Slate ● Oct. 17, 2023
Immaculately groomed and entirely self-possessed, Siobhan bestrides the world of public relations like an expertly contoured colossus.
From New York Times ● Sep. 21, 2023
Tex pointed at the special contoured one Mr. Caton had reproduced.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
These are expected to include non-surgical BBLs, face lifts and filler-based body contouring treatments, which alter the shape of areas such as the stomach, thighs or buttocks.
From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026
“We started to see a lot more intensive makeup looks, with contouring and heavy eye shadow application.”
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 7, 2026
Skye concedes that writing a memoir is a challenge, but not so much emotionally as narratively — contouring the flow and storytelling with an editor’s sharp eye.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 4, 2025
The procedure became one of the most popular options in the body contouring industry.
From New York Times ● Apr. 16, 2023
Now she brought out fake eyelashes, green shadow, black liner, base, contouring brushes, eyebrow pencil, coral gloss.
From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
