picturesque

American  

[pik-chuh-resk] / ˌpɪk tʃəˈrɛsk /

adjective

1. visually charming or quaint, as if resembling or suitable for a painting.

   a picturesque fishing village.

2. (of writing, speech, etc.) strikingly graphic or vivid; creating detailed mental images.

   a picturesque description of the Brazilian jungle.

3. having pleasing or interesting qualities; strikingly effective in appearance.

   a picturesque hat.

---

picturesque British  

/ ˌpɪktʃəˈrɛsk /

adjective

1. visually pleasing, esp in being striking or vivid

   a picturesque view

2. having a striking or colourful character, nature, etc

3. (of language) graphic; vivid

---

Related Words

Picturesque, graphic, vivid apply to descriptions that produce a strong, especially a visual, impression. Picturesque is a less precise term than the other two. A picturesque account, though striking and interesting, may be inaccurate or may reflect personal ideas: He called the landscape picturesque. A graphic account is more objective and factual: it produces a clear, definite impression, and carries conviction. A vivid account is told with liveliness and intenseness; the description is so interesting, or even exciting, that the reader or hearer may be emotionally stirred.

Other Word Forms

• picturesquely adverb
• picturesqueness noun
• unpicturesque adjective
• unpicturesquely adverb
• unpicturesqueness noun

Etymology

Origin of picturesque

First recorded in 1695–1705; from French pittoresque, from Italian pittoresco ( pittor(e) painter ¹ + -esco -esque ), with assimilation to picture

Explanation

You could describe a particularly pretty scene as picturesque. But save it up for a view that's so gorgeous you'd love to have it framed on the wall as a painting. Picturesque is an adjective used to describe something with strikingly pleasing or vivid qualities — a scene so picture-perfect that you feel an impulse to reach for your camera or double check to make sure it's real. A view of the pristine shoreline on a summer’s day, a grandfather and grandson reading a book together, or a charming old farm cottage could all be called picturesque.

Example Sentences

Behar purchased the dwelling back in 2016, paying $4.75 million for the picturesque abode, having previously transferred the deed for her other Hamptons property into the name of her daughter, Eve.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

"Even the early British picturesque views of the sea and boats include human figures, reminding us that the environment was always shaped by human activity," says Prakash.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

As seen in the exhibition, his Conté crayon drawings from these months informed his paintings, which pointedly eschewed any hint of the picturesque and also of Impressionist painting.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026

Now a picturesque destination for tourists, Prague has been an imperial capital, a flashpoint in religious wars and the site of communist crackdowns.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

Blocks away, where newly built mixed-income homes sat next to picturesque buildings like the gothic Church of the Advocate, built in 1887, was the direction the neighborhood wanted to go.

From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore

Related Words

• beautiful
• charming
• colorful
• pleasant
• quaint
• scenic