pictorial
Americanadjective
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pertaining to, expressed in, or of the nature of a picture.
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illustrated by or containing pictures.
a pictorial history.
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of or relating to the art of painting and drawing pictures, the pictures themselves, or their makers.
the pictorial masterpieces of the Renaissance.
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having or suggesting the visual appeal or imagery of a picture.
a pictorial metaphor.
- Synonyms:
- telling, striking, vivid, picturesque
noun
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a periodical in which pictures constitute an important feature.
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a magazine feature that is primarily photographic.
adjective
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relating to, consisting of, or expressed by pictures
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(of books, newspapers, etc) containing pictures
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of or relating to painting or drawing
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(of language, style, etc) suggesting a picture; vivid; graphic
noun
Other Word Forms
- nonpictorial adjective
- nonpictorially adverb
- pictorially adverb
- pictorialness noun
- semipictorial adjective
- semipictorially adverb
- unpictorial adjective
- unpictorially adverb
Etymology
Origin of pictorial
1640–50; < Latin pictōri ( us ) of painting ( pic- , variant stem of pingere to paint + -tōrius -tory 1 ) + -al 1
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 the 1940s, Lam developed his own distinctive, hybrid figures, pictographic language and pictorial style.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 31, 2026
The stylistic choices result in a striking, distinctly pictorial aesthetic in line with earlier projects that Han and Vallade worked on, such as “Long Way North” and “Calamity,” both directed by Rémi Chayé.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 7, 2025
Each is staffed by one employee who follows pictorial instructions on several overhead screens.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 20, 2025
One of the more remarkable features of Velázquez’s stunning pictorial achievement is that he chose to paint Mariana’s portrait over one of many he had already executed of her husband.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 17, 2024
Now, as the Asian festivities were apparently drawing to a close, a national pictorial magazine decided to do a “sensitive” and “searching” feature on Milagro’s “anguish.”
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
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.
