vignette

American  

[vin-yet] / vɪnˈyɛt /

noun

1. a decorative design or small illustration used on the title page of a book or at the beginning or end of a chapter.

2. an engraving, drawing, photograph, or the like that is shaded off gradually at the edges so as to leave no definite line at the border.

3. a decorative design representing branches, leaves, grapes, or the like, as in a manuscript.

4. any small, pleasing picture or view.

5. a small, graceful literary sketch.

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verb (used with object)

vignetted, vignetting

1. Photography. to finish (a picture, photograph, etc.) in the manner of a vignette.

vignette British  

/ vɪˈnjɛt /

noun

1. a small illustration placed at the beginning or end of a book or chapter

2. a short graceful literary essay or sketch

3. a photograph, drawing, etc, with edges that are shaded off

4. architect a carved ornamentation that has a design based upon tendrils, leaves, etc

5. any small endearing scene, view, picture, etc

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verb

1. to finish (a photograph, picture, etc) with a fading border in the form of a vignette

2. 1. to decorate with vignettes

   2. to portray in or as in a vignette

Usage

What does vignette mean? A vignette is a small illustration or design, especially one that appears on a book’s title page or between chapters. This primary meaning of vignette has been extended in several ways, such as to refer to other small illustrations or images done in a similar style, or to brief scenes from literature or other works. Vignette can also be used as a verb, meaning to create such a thing or to do something in the style of a vignette. Example: I love these old books that have lovely vignettes at the beginning of each chapter.

Other Word Forms

• vignettist noun

Etymology

Origin of vignette

1745–55; < French: literally, little vine ( vine, -ette ); so called from vinelike decorations in early books

Explanation

A vignette is a brief but powerful scene. A good vignette leaves you wanting more. Over the centuries a vignette has taken on different forms. Originally it was one of those small sketches you find in the front of old books, often with decorative bands of ivy around its edges (the word comes from the French vigne for vineyard). When cinema came along, a vignette became a quick portrait in film of a character. Some films, like Robert Altman's Short Cuts, are essentially just a compilation of individual vignettes.

Example Sentences

Performance and illusion are recurring themes: A woman is sawed in half in a depiction of classic stagecraft; elsewhere a juggler manipulates ovoids that each contain an everyday vignette.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026

“Our results here show that, for the same client vignette, AI advisers recommend safer portfolios than human advisers and that … scenario cues, not adviser idiosyncrasies, drive the difference.”

From MarketWatch • Nov. 12, 2025

This was one vignette from the striking array of the world's biggest Silicon Valley tech companies turning on the transatlantic investment tap.

From BBC • Sep. 19, 2025

The standout, though, and probable winner, is Nebojša Slijepčević’s masterfully tense Bosnian war vignette “The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent,” set in the grim complacency of a train compartment.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 14, 2025

This vignette shows that even belonging to the same professional club as a writer is no protection against her curse of knowledge.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

Related Words

• scenario
• scene
• sketch