picture
Americannoun
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a visual representation of a person, object, or scene, as a painting, drawing, photograph, etc..
I carry a picture of my grandchild in my wallet.
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any visible image, however produced.
pictures reflected in a pool of water.
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a mental image.
a clear picture of how he had looked that day.
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a particular image or reality as portrayed in an account or description; depiction; version.
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a tableau, as in theatrical representation.
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a movie.
He signed a three-picture deal to star in the new franchise.
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Older Use. pictures, movies collectively, as an art; cinema.
So, you want to be in pictures?
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a person, thing, group, or scene regarded as resembling a work of pictorial art in beauty, fineness of appearance, etc..
She was a picture in her new blue dress.
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the image or perfect likeness of someone else.
He is the picture of his father.
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a visible or concrete embodiment of some quality or condition.
the picture of health.
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a situation or set of circumstances.
the economic picture.
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the image on a computer monitor, the viewing screen of a television set, or a motion-picture screen.
verb (used with object)
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to represent in a picture or pictorially, as by painting or drawing.
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to form a mental picture of; imagine.
He couldn't picture himself doing such a thing.
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to depict in words; describe graphically.
He pictured Rome so vividly that you half-believed you were there.
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to present or create as a setting; portray.
His book pictured the world of the future.
noun
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a visual representation of something, such as a person or scene, produced on a surface, as in a photograph, painting, etc
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( as modifier )
picture gallery
picture postcard
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a mental image or impression
a clear picture of events
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a verbal description, esp one that is vivid
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a situation considered as an observable scene
the political picture
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a person or thing that bears a close resemblance to another
he was the picture of his father
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a person, scene, etc, considered as typifying a particular state or quality
the picture of despair
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a beautiful person or scene
you'll look a picture
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a complete image on a television screen, comprising two interlaced fields
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a motion picture; film
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( as modifier )
picture theatre
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a cinema or film show
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another name for tableau vivant
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informal to understand a situation
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informed about a given situation
verb
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to visualize or imagine
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to describe or depict, esp vividly
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(often passive) to put in a picture or make a picture of
they were pictured sitting on the rocks
Usage
Where does picture come from? A picture, as they say, is worth a thousand words. But what about the word picture? We’re not going to write a thousand words on picture—although we could. Believe us when we say we could. So, here’s a briefer word picture (see what we did there?) on the origin of this versatile word. In its most general sense, a picture is a visual representation of something, especially in the form of a painting, drawing, photograph, or the like. A picture can also refer to a mental image, among other senses. One meaning of picture, as a verb, is “to represent something in a picture or pictorially”—pictorial being a related adjective form variously used to refer to pictures. The word picture entered English around 1375–1425, borrowed directly from the Latin word pictūra, “the act of painting, a painting.” The word is based on pict(us), the past participle of the verb pingere, meaning “to paint.” The verb could also mean “to draw, embroider, represent,” among other senses. The second part of pictūra is -ūra, a noun suffix represented as -ure in English. See our entry at -ure to learn more about this suffix. Dig deeperThe meaning of the word picture has been very stable in English. Just as it originally did in the late 1300s, a picture can still refer to a drawing or painting— whether it’s your kid’s crayon-scrawled family portrait on your fridge or Leonardo DaVinci’s Mona Lisa in the Louvre. Both are masterpieces, as far as we’re concerned. Please note, though, that when referring to formal or professional works, we often use the name of the medium (painting, photograph, film), with picture referring to more informal or amateur creations. But picture has also been remarkably adaptable, readily lending itself to images created by new technologies: photography, cinema, TV, and all the pictures we take on our smartphones and post on social media. The word movie—it’s easy to forget in an age of Netflix streaming and viral TikTok videos—is shortened from the phrase moving picture. And what are digital images composed of? Tiny pixels. That word is based on pix, a variant of pics, a common shortening of picture. A picture, we might say today, is worth (many) thousands of pixels.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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picturablenessnoun
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picturernoun
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mispictureverb (used with object)
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picturableadjective
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self-picturedadjective
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unpicturedadjective
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picturablyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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picturesimple
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picturessimple
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have picturedperfect
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has picturedperfect
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am picturingprogressive
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are picturingprogressive
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is picturingprogressive
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have been picturingperfect progressive
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has been picturingperfect progressive
Past
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picturedsimple
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had picturedperfect
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was picturingprogressive
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were picturingprogressive
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had been picturingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of picture
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin pictūra “the act of painting, a painting,” equivalent to pict(us) (past participle of pingere “to paint” ) + -ūra noun suffix; see paint, -ure
Explanation
Use the verb picture if you want people to imagine something vividly in their minds. If your story about your principal and some chickens is descriptive enough, your friends can picture the whole incident. A picture is also a piece of art made by painting or drawing, like the pictures by famous artists you see in a museum. In a book, a picture is an illustration that accompanies the text, often in a child's picture book. You can also call a photograph a picture. Your dad might take so many pictures on vacation that it seems like you spent your entire childhood hiding from his camera.
Vocabulary lists containing picture
Lesson 7
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Spelling Practice 1, Unit 5
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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.
See Examples For:
The images include a full length picture of Murdoch staring straight at a camera during the police investigation.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Last week, a 34-year-old Tehran-based startup entrepreneur who had long opposed the regime posted a picture of himself proudly posing in uniform after joining the military.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Hawking later changed that picture by using quantum mechanics to demonstrate that black holes can emit particles and energy.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 13, 2026
Sophie Guiot showed AFP a picture of a water-dumping plane flying over her home.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
I just stared at the picture and kept staring because I couldn’t get it, I couldn’t get it, and I didn’t want to see his face again.
From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott
It envisions a future in which consumers still have smartphones, but increasingly use other devices worn on their bodies to talk to AI chatbots, send texts and take pictures or videos.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Confronting pictures taken after the fire had been brought under control show many body bags lined up outside the bar, and a large cordon around the area.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
One pictures McConnell’s aides staring at the hospital clock, counting the seconds until 20 minutes have passed, and being pleased to inform the senator that he can hang up.
From Slate ● Jul. 11, 2026
And Trey pictures his dad still in the third base coach’s box for the Dodgers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
Angels never wore overalls and plaid shirts in the pictures I’d seen in Sunday school.
From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney
Meanwhile, Prince George and Princess Charlotte are pictured in the royal box at Wimbledon.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
The Princess of Wales was pictured cheering from the sidelines as the Prince of Wales competed on a baking hot polo pitch for a charity cup.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
Their work expanded on Niels Bohr's early atomic model, which pictured electrons orbiting the nucleus much like planets orbit the sun.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 5, 2026
When Roberts’ playing career ended, he might not have pictured himself sitting in this seat at all, let alone for nearly 1,000 wins.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 28, 2026
I pictured sharks in the ocean, calling out their own names as they swam by.
From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen
He would study maps and globes, picturing the people and animals who call the coldest reaches of the Earth home.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 17, 2026
With his gray-and-white mane sleekly accentuating his black and lavender ensemble, he struts with an eminence that had me picturing Eartha Kitt in a Bob Fosse spectacular.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026
But picturing your future self—and mentally “traveling back” to who you are now—has been shown to increase savings behavior, according to a 2024 study published in the Journal of Consumer Research.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 25, 2026
They’re picturing the holidays: the turkey, the guests, and the all-important dining table.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 20, 2025
I’m suddenly picturing a pair of ruby slippers.
From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen
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.
