statue
Americannoun
-
statues
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of statue
1300–50; Middle English < Middle French < Latin statua, noun derivative of statuere to set up, itself derivative of status ( see status)
Explanation
To stand as still as a statue is to stand absolutely still, a statue being a sculpture, after all. A statue is a specific kind of sculpture, one that clearly represents a person, an animal, or other living creature. There's no question that the first thing most people think of when they hear the word statue is the Statue of Liberty. The woman's name is Liberty and there she is, a statue. Any sculpture that represents a person (Liberty, George Washington, Gandhi, or the Mad Hatter) is called a statue. In New York's Central Park, there is a much beloved statue of a dog named Balto, a heroic husky from Alaska.
Vocabulary lists containing statue
Academy Awards, List 1
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"The Secret Water"
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Commonly Confused Words, List 3
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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:
In 2021, Tennessee lawmakers proposed erecting a statue of Parton on the grounds of the state Capitol.
From Salon ● Aug. 29, 2026
The statue, which measures about 40 feet tall, wouldn’t be going far.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
With Dolly Parton's "Jolene" filling the night air, fans of the late country music icon laid flowers at a Tennessee statue of the singer who changed their US state forever.
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
His existence would account for the reference on the tablet and could also explain the identity of a royal figure shown in a statue discovered at Aššur.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026
Leonardo sketches out a monumental statue, rising some twenty-five feet high.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
He is immortalised in two more statues, in Wigan where he is an adopted son and in his home city of Cardiff.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
Following his Olympic feat in Beijing, Phelps received offers for book and movie deals, bobblehead dolls, statues, tuxedos and free dental work, among other things, as WSJ reported at the time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
The group is responsible for more than half a dozen other satirical statues — all of which, until now, have appeared exclusively in Washington, D.C.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
Considered the father of modern-day Myanmar, his statues have dotted the country for decades.
From Barron's ● Jul. 18, 2026
After leading the geese toward Montreal, Mr. Lemoncello drifted down to buzz and salute the statues perched atop the pillars at the base of the dome.
From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein
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.
