statue
Americannoun
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.
It said the statue had once been minorly damaged and raised concerns around the potential for injury when attempting to place a cone.
From BBC • Jun. 17, 2026
Since the award goes to a show, who receives a statue?
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2026
Eight people were injured in a blast at the Eurenco site in 2022, less than 2 miles from the historic quarter where tourists admire a statue of the big-nosed playwright Cyrano, named after the town.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 14, 2026
Song creator Stiteler, who's originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, told the BBC he's always appreciated Puerto Rican culture, referencing a statue of Puerto Rican baseball player Roberto Clemente in his hometown.
From BBC • Jun. 12, 2026
I decided I would sleep on the other side of the statue.
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
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.
