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Synonyms

visual

American  
[vizh-oo-uhl] / ˈvɪʒ u əl /

adjective

  1. of or relating to seeing or sight.

    a visual image.

  2. used in seeing.

    the visual sense.

  3. optical.

  4. perceptible by the sense of sight; visible.

    a visual beauty.

  5. perceptible by the mind; of the nature of a mental vision.

    a visual impression captured in a line of verse.


noun

  1. Usually visuals.

    1. the picture elements, as distinguished from the sound elements, in films, television, etc.

    2. photographs, slides, films, charts, or other visual materials, especially as used for illustration or promotion.

  2. a rough, preliminary sketch of an advertising layout, showing possible arrangements of material.

  3. any item or element depending on the sense of sight.

visual British  
/ -zjʊ-, ˈvɪʒʊəl /

adjective

  1. of, relating to, done by, or used in seeing

    visual powers

    visual steering

  2. another word for optical

  3. capable of being seen; visible

  4. of, occurring as, or induced by a mental image

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a sketch to show the proposed layout of an advertisement, as in a newspaper

  2. (often plural) a photograph, film, or other display material

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • nonvisual adjective
  • subvisual adjective
  • supervisual adjective
  • supervisually adverb
  • unvisual adjective
  • unvisually adverb
  • visually adverb

Etymology

Origin of visual

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Late Latin vīsuālis, from vīsu(s) “sight” (noun use of past participle of vidēre “to see”) + -ālis -al 1

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.

Well-known visual examples of this kind of tiling can be found in the artwork of M.C.

From Science Daily

The quartet is fronted by vocalist and lyricist Florence Shaw, who practiced and taught visual art before linking with guitarist Tom Dowse, bassist Lewis Maynard and drummer Nick Buxton in the late 2010s.

From The Wall Street Journal

HM Senior Coroner for Lancashire Dr James Adeley pointed out that the UK was one of only three countries to rely on self-reporting of visual conditions affecting the ability to drive.

From BBC

Unlike the other visual arts, photography nowadays is practiced by virtually everyone and, to a greater extent than the other visual arts, it is put to more uses than just aesthetic pleasure.

From The Wall Street Journal

Crick went on to make influential contributions to the study of neuroanatomy, dreams and visual perception.

From The Wall Street Journal