picture

[ pik-cher ]

/ ˈpɪk tʃər /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR picture ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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.

any visible image, however produced: pictures reflected in a pool of water.

a mental image: a clear picture of how he had looked that day.

a particular image or reality as portrayed in an account or description; depiction; version.

a tableau, as in theatrical representation.

motion picture.

pictures, Informal: Older Use. movies.

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.

the image or perfect likeness of someone else: He is the picture of his father.

a visible or concrete embodiment of some quality or condition: the picture of health.

a situation or set of circumstances: the economic picture.

the image on a computer monitor, the viewing screen of a television set, or a motion-picture screen.

verb (used with object), pic·tured, pic·tur·ing.

to represent in a picture or pictorially, as by painting or drawing.

to form a mental picture of; imagine: He couldn't picture himself doing such a thing.

to depict in words; describe graphically: He pictured Rome so vividly that you half-believed you were there.

to present or create as a setting; portray: His book pictured the world of the future.

QUIZZES

Discover The Influence Of Portuguese On English Via This Quiz!

We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?

Question 1 of 11

Which of the following animal names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?

owl

crow

piranha

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Words nearby picture

pictography, pictor, pictorial, pictorialism, pictorialize, picture, picture book, picture card, picture disc, picture hat, picture house

Origin of picture

1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin pictūra the act of painting, a painting, equivalent to pict(us) (past participle of pingere to paint) + -ūra -ure

SYNONYMS FOR picture

13, 15 delineate, paint, draw, represent.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR picture ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM picture

pic·tur·a·ble, adjectivepic·tur·a·ble·ness, nounpic·tur·a·bly, adverbpic·tur·er, noun

mis·pic·ture, verb (used with object), mis·pic·tured, mis·pic·tur·ing.self-pic·tured, adjectiveun·pic·tured, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH picture

picture pitcher

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for pictures

Lee and Coogan did briefly meet with the pope, with pictures to prove it, but no one at the Vatican officially screened the film.
Pope Francis Has the Pleasure of Meeting Angelina Jolie for a Few Seconds|Barbie Latza Nadeau|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Afterward, the graduates posed for pictures with their families.
Cop Families Boo De Blasio at NYPD Graduation|Michael Daly|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The pictures which would melt even the hardest of Republcian hearts were taken at the end of November.
The Adorable New Prince George Photos|Tom Sykes|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The pictures of Gilkes emphasize, quite rightly and inevitably, his classic good looks.
William, Kate, and Jay Z’s Favorite Art Star: Alexander Gilkes' World of Rock Stars and Royalty|Tim Teeman|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST

When she got the pictures back, she met Sean for coffee and discussed how to exhibit the photos.
Masters of Alt Sex: SuicideGirls Hits Puberty and Wants to Invade Your TV Set|Marlow Stern|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It has ever been noticed that the back of these pictures did not adhere to the walls—an excellent precaution against dampness.
The Wonders of Pompeii|Marc Monnier
Pictures come into a different category, for every artist painted more than one picture.
Roving East and Roving West|E. V. Lucas
Even Senegambians: they can look at the pictures and marvel over them.
I, Mary MacLane|Mary MacLane
I suspect that savages, who have very few words to express their thoughts with, think in pictures, like their own dogs.
Madam How and Lady Why|Charles Kingsley
So would you be, if I told you to finish one of my pictures, perhaps.
The Chauffeur and the Chaperon|C. N. Williamson

British Dictionary definitions for pictures

picture

/ (ˈpɪktʃə) /

noun

a visual representation of something, such as a person or scene, produced on a surface, as in a photograph, painting, etc
(as modifier)picture gallery; picture postcard Related adjective: pictorial

a mental image or impressiona clear picture of events

a verbal description, esp one that is vivid

a situation considered as an observable scenethe political picture

a person or thing that bears a close resemblance to anotherhe was the picture of his father

a person, scene, etc, considered as typifying a particular state or qualitythe picture of despair

a beautiful person or sceneyou'll look a picture

a complete image on a television screen, comprising two interlaced fields

a motion picture; film
(as modifier)picture theatre

the pictures mainly British and Australian a cinema or film show

another name for tableau vivant

get the picture informal to understand a situation

in the picture informed about a given situation

verb (tr)

to visualize or imagine

to describe or depict, esp vividly

(often passive) to put in a picture or make a picture ofthey were pictured sitting on the rocks

Word Origin for picture

C15: from Latin pictūra painting, from pingere to paint

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with pictures

picture

In addition to the idiom beginning with picture

picture is worth a thousand words, one

also see:

get the message (picture)
in the picture
pretty as a picture
take a picture
the picture

picture

noun

verb (used with object), pic·tured, pic·tur·ing.

QUIZZES

Words related to picture

Words nearby picture

Origin of picture

SYNONYMS FOR picture

OTHER WORDS FROM picture

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH picture

Example sentences from the Web for pictures

British Dictionary definitions for pictures

noun

verb (tr)

Word Origin for picture

Idioms and Phrases with pictures