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.
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the outline or general shape of something.
the slim silhouette of a skyscraper.
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a dark image outlined against a lighter background.
verb (used with object)
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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
- unsilhouetted adjective
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
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.
Price was best known for his sculptured silhouettes and theatrical styles, including pastel suits which featured in rock band Duran Duran's music video Rio.
From BBC
In the beginning, when we were constructing the dress, I was like, “I’m going to try to get down to that Dior-like silhouette,” which is impossible.
From Los Angeles Times
A grotesque, charred silhouette, reclining, with one knee raised, as if lounging on one of Marseille's nearby beaches.
From BBC
Gene walks away then, but just as he’s framed in the door—silhouetted by the light of the hall—the intercom squawks, and out comes Mrs. Dithers’s voice.
From Literature
It has since become one of my go-to tops given its versatile styling and unexpected yet understated silhouette.
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.
