figurine
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of figurine
1850–55; < French < Italian figurina, equivalent to figur ( a ) figure + -ina -ine 1 (here diminutive)
Explanation
A figurine is a small carved or molded statue, especially one in the shape of a person. If you have an extensive collection of figurines, you need to keep them high up and safe so your kids don't break them. The word figurine is from the Italian word figurina, which itself is based on the Latin word figura, which means shape, body, or figure. You can buy all sorts of figurines. If you like movies, you can collect figurines that depict famous movie characters. You can also get figurines of comic book heroes. It's even common to have the figurine of a saint.
Vocabulary lists containing figurine
Purple Hibiscus
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The Stone Age - Middle School and High School
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The Stone Age - Introductory
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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:
Four days later, Carney addressed the nation displaying a figurine of Gen. Isaac Brock, who repelled U.S. forces invading what is today Canada in the War of 1812.
From Barron's ● Apr. 23, 2026
In Vogelherd Cave in Lone Valley, for example, archaeologists uncovered a small mammoth figurine carved from mammoth ivory.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 25, 2026
Customers get small prizes such as a badge or figurine after selecting a certain number of dishes, 15 plates for the first reward and 25 for the second.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 9, 2026
This complete figurine of a seated pug dog in plain white-glazed porcelain with black details was found in the grave of an unnamed female at St James' Gardens in Euston.
From BBC ● Jan. 30, 2026
There was a three-tiered pink-and-white cake, draped in fondant and topped with a sugar figurine of a baby holding the number 1 in its chubby hands.
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
During my own marriage’s breakdown, a counselor put out wooden animal figurines.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026
Brent Poer and Beau Quillian’s historic home is an exuberant collage of Hermès plates, Black Forest antlers, Staffordshire porcelain figurines, majolica plates and art that has been lovingly curated.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2026
More than 40,000 years ago, early humans were already engraving symbols onto tools, figurines, and other objects.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 25, 2026
On Thursday, detectives announced they have made their first arrest in relation to incident, which saw military memorabilia, jewellery, natural history pieces and carved ivory, bronze and silver figurines taken.
From BBC ● Jan. 29, 2026
The tiny figurines were like his friendly pets.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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.
