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.
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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
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
-
was silhouettingprogressive
-
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:
Picasso had created a silhouette of me for the cover and inscribed in pen: “For Sylvette David, Picasso.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
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
Ekon’s eyes adjusted to the darkness enough to make out a small silhouette just a few feet away from him.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
The protected vistas have forced modern developers to shave the tops off skyscrapers or adopt slanted silhouettes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
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
He decided to give classic jerseys a whirl, transforming them into more flattering silhouettes that accentuate a curvy torso.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026
Those gains, she said, were seen across its bra silhouettes and price points.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 2, 2026
She saw the silhouettes of two more men in uniform striding toward them.
From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo
The photos transform the city’s atmosphere into fields of luminous color — the Hollywood Roosevelt’s sign silhouetted against saturated red and yellow skies, or the moon suspended in darkness.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 26, 2026
In our video call with Mr Explosive, he appears silhouetted and flanked by red and green light, the colours of the Iranian flag.
From BBC ● Apr. 11, 2026
Bold purple and magenta animations of galloping warriors silhouetted against rustling pines cover entire walls.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 7, 2026
There are competent if conventional scenes of fog-laden meadows and villages silhouetted against distant skies.
From New York Times ● Nov. 21, 2024
As we ran into the dunes, I saw behind us a gang of silhouetted men splashing the last few feet to shore.
From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs
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.
