silhouette
Americannoun
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a two-dimensional representation of the outline of an object, as a cutout or configurational drawing, uniformly filled in with black, especially a black-paper, miniature cutout of the outlines of a person's face in profile.
-
the outline or general shape of something.
the slim silhouette of a skyscraper.
-
a dark image outlined against a lighter background.
verb (used with object)
-
to show in or as if in a silhouette.
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Printing. to remove the background details from (a halftone cut) so as to produce an outline effect.
noun
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the outline of a solid figure as cast by its shadow
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an outline drawing filled in with black, often a profile portrait cut out of black paper and mounted on a light ground
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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silhouettesimple
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silhouettessimple
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have silhouettedperfect
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has silhouettedperfect
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am silhouettingprogressive
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are silhouettingprogressive
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is silhouettingprogressive
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have been silhouettingperfect progressive
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has been silhouettingperfect progressive
Past
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silhouettedsimple
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had silhouettedperfect
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was silhouettingprogressive
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were silhouettingprogressive
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had been silhouettingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of silhouette
First recorded in 1790–1800; from French à la silhouette, after Etienne de Silhouette (1709–67), French finance minister; the surname Silhouette is ultimately from Basque Zilhoeta, from zilo, zilho, zulo “hole” + -eta, toponymic suffix
Explanation
A silhouette is dark shadow, like a silhouette of a person standing under a street lamp, or a drawing that shows only the shape of an object. A silhouette, pronounced "sil-ooh-ET," can be mysterious. After all, you can only see the shape of the person or object. So, it's fitting that the word's origin is a little mysterious, too. It was coined for Etienne de Silhouette, a French finance minister. One theory is that Silhouette decorated his chateau with the kind of dark outline drawings that now bear his name.
Vocabulary lists containing silhouette
Long Way Down
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You Name It: Eponyms
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"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
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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:
Then, if I dive deeper into Japanese culture, I think about the most iconic silhouette, which for me is a kimono.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
Where the former implemented carefully considered, brief glimpses of its female lead to shade her character’s textures, “Obsession” stops caring about Nikki the moment her silhouette is completed.
From Salon ● Jun. 4, 2026
The designer drew inspiration for Gregory’s burgundy coat from a Coogler red carpet moment, tailoring a clean, sophisticated silhouette while playing with the scale of Janine’s costume.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 1, 2026
He stands in silhouette against the dawn of American nationhood like the rock towers in Utah’s Bryce Canyon: magnificent, awe-inspiring, inert.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
As Pinmei looked up at it, she thought she saw the silhouette of a rabbit sitting at the top of the mountain, waiting.
From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin
Likewise, Paris Fashion Week isn’t known to feature designers whose collections can be worn off the rack, instead showcasing works of great sartorial ambition, with severe silhouettes and playful flourishes alike.
From Salon ● Jun. 29, 2026
Some are opting for oversize silhouettes, gym-ready fabrics and athleisure.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
Those gains, she said, were seen across its bra silhouettes and price points.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 2, 2026
The nostalgic tone of the collection was captured by some attendees who praised the juxtaposition of pieces, resulting in fluid, less cinched silhouettes reminiscent of 1940s Hollywood.
From Barron's ● May 14, 2026
Steeples stretched up to the moonlit night, and Sierra could make out the gnarly silhouettes of gargoyles jutting out to either side.
From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older
As old as the invention of photography, rayographs—negative, silhouetted photographic prints made by placing objects directly onto light-sensitive paper—are more commonly known as photograms.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 27, 2025
Cinematographer Michael Bauman puts together a gorgeous, silhouetted shot of St. Carlos’ skateboarding scouts vaulting over rooftops in front of a building lit up to look like the American flag.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2025
The winner, chosen from a shortlist of 11 photographers, was Daniel Dian-Ji Wu, Taiwan, 16 years old, for his image of a skateboarder doing a trick, silhouetted against a sunset in Venice Beach, Los Angeles.
From BBC ● Apr. 19, 2025
There are competent if conventional scenes of fog-laden meadows and villages silhouetted against distant skies.
From New York Times ● Nov. 21, 2024
These two people standing there, side by side, silhouetted in the doorway, light from the fireplace behind them, seemed to belong in the cabin.
From "Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad" by Ann Petry
Occasionally he would lean forward, silhouetting himself entirely but for some unruly wisps of gray hair, which glowed like a nimbus.
From New York Times ● Dec. 15, 2020
We pulled into Sacramento and our first glorious California sunset, a sheet of horizontal oranges and reds silhouetting black water towers and high-tension wires.
From New York Times ● Sep. 6, 2016
The photo captured Watkins’s image by silhouetting his head against an illuminated tree.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 12, 2015
You see it's enough to bring tears to the eyesby silhouetting trees,winter boughs spidery on mist-like white skiestwitched in a breeze.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 18, 2013
Tally gazed down at the familiar skyline, the slender trails of fireworks silhouetting the party towers and mansions.
From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld
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.
