silhouette

[ sil-oo-et ]

noun

1. 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.
2. the outline or general shape of something:

   the slim silhouette of a skyscraper.

3. a dark image outlined against a lighter background.

verb (used with object)

, sil·hou·et·ted, sil·hou·et·ting.

1. to show in or as if in a silhouette.
2. Printing. to remove the background details from (a halftone cut) so as to produce an outline effect.

silhouette

/ ˌsɪluːˈɛt /

noun

1. the outline of a solid figure as cast by its shadow
2. an outline drawing filled in with black, often a profile portrait cut out of black paper and mounted on a light ground

verb

1. tr to cause to appear in silhouette

Other Words From

• unsil·hou·etted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of silhouette¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of silhouette¹

C18: named after Étienne de Silhouette (1709–67), French politician, perhaps referring to silhouettes as partial portraits, with a satirical allusion to Silhouette's brief career as controller general (1759)

Example Sentences

However, there will in fact be a core assortment offered consisting of well-crafted basic silhouettes.

From Essence.com

As I stepped back to admire the overall profile, the swoopy silhouette was a siren song luring me behind the wheel to fire up the engine.

From Washington Blade

Will Taylor, gear directorI test a lot of apparel, and sometimes in the blur of flashy new technologies and sleek silhouettes, it can be hard for pieces to stand out.

From Outside Online

Relieved, I looked at Tanner to tell him about it—and saw the silhouette of a man next to him.

From Outside Online

The silhouette of the Flip 5, Charge 5, and Xtreme 3 can be simply described as “log.”

From Popular-Science

The coat, with fitted bodice, nipped-in waist, and full skirt, created a familiar silhouette for Kate.

From The Daily Beast

I would have added “no photographs of meditative politicians walking on the shore” with a slash though a silhouette of JFK.

From The Daily Beast

As you walk in front of the first screen, your silhouette appears and birds swoop down toward you.

From The Daily Beast

And I sat there as he shot the silhouette, but he had to stop because I started frantically crying.

From The Daily Beast

She picks out Diane von Furstenberg dresses and starts really enjoying this new silhouette, this new freedom.

From The Daily Beast

In the dimly-lighted doorway of a corner house the figure of a Chinaman showed as a motionless silhouette.

From Project Gutenberg

It was then easy enough to obtain a fairly accurate silhouette, by either outlining the profile or cutting it out from the screen.

From Project Gutenberg

He existed, moreover, only in contour; he never rose above harmoniously outlined silhouette.

From Project Gutenberg

Pete produced the silhouette of a young lady, and handed it round.

From Project Gutenberg

Looking in the same direction I saw, through the haze, the sharp outlines of a city in gray silhouette.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• contour
• likeness
• portrait
• shade
• shadow
• shape