figurine
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of figurine
1850–55; < French < Italian figurina, equivalent to figur ( a ) figure + -ina -ine 1 (here diminutive)
Explanation
A figurine is a small carved or molded statue, especially one in the shape of a person. If you have an extensive collection of figurines, you need to keep them high up and safe so your kids don't break them. The word figurine is from the Italian word figurina, which itself is based on the Latin word figura, which means shape, body, or figure. You can buy all sorts of figurines. If you like movies, you can collect figurines that depict famous movie characters. You can also get figurines of comic book heroes. It's even common to have the figurine of a saint.
Vocabulary lists containing figurine
Purple Hibiscus
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The Stone Age - Middle School and High School
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The Stone Age - Introductory
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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.
In Vogelherd Cave in Lone Valley, for example, archaeologists uncovered a small mammoth figurine carved from mammoth ivory.
From Science Daily • Feb. 25, 2026
“I got this figurine from a Mexican well-wisher 20 years ago. I take it everywhere. She takes care of me. And I believe in that.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026
This complete figurine of a seated pug dog in plain white-glazed porcelain with black details was found in the grave of an unnamed female at St James' Gardens in Euston.
From BBC • Jan. 30, 2026
In the museum, a clay animal figurine from ancient Persia stood alone in a glass case.
From Barron's • Nov. 3, 2025
Rabiya props up a Little Mermaid figurine next to a lamp shaped like a shell.
From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan
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.
