picturesque
Americanadjective
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visually charming or quaint, as if resembling or suitable for a painting.
a picturesque fishing village.
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(of writing, speech, etc.) strikingly graphic or vivid; creating detailed mental images.
a picturesque description of the Brazilian jungle.
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having pleasing or interesting qualities; strikingly effective in appearance.
a picturesque hat.
adjective
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visually pleasing, esp in being striking or vivid
a picturesque view
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having a striking or colourful character, nature, etc
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(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
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.
The financial hub is famous for its dramatic skyline of sky scrapers set against a picturesque harbour, many of which are home to residents as well as as banks and commercial offices.
From Barron's
Tucked away in the picturesque German town of Pirna, not far from Dresden, Sonnenstein Castle’s first claim to fame fit its tranquil setting.
She appreciated both the picturesque and the new emphasis on the Romantic.
On the drive up to the Rose Bowl’s front door, underneath the legendary glowing sign, toward the picturesque purple mountains, there stands the most impactful symbol of the school that plays there.
From Los Angeles Times
Even in picturesque California, few landscapes are as stunning — or as fragile — as Big Sur.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
