visually
Americanadverb
Etymology
Origin of visually
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at visual, -ly
Explanation
The adverb visually means "related to the sense of sight." For a kids' book to be visually interesting, it has to have illustrations to look at, and not just words. If a person is visually impaired, their ability to see is limited. And if an art exhibit is visually overwhelming, there's just too much for your eyes to take in at once. A critic who describes a movie as "visually stunning" simply means it's very nice to look at. Visually comes from the adjective visual and its Latin root, videre, "to see."
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.
Because these mantises are large and visually impressive, many people see them as a welcome sight rather than a possible ecological problem.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026
Raymond Chandler, assigned to write the screenplay, found himself at odds with the director, chiefly because, he complained, Hitchcock seemed to have the film already worked out visually in his head.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
"This kind of activity enriches them a great deal, not only visually for the audience but for them as well," he said.
From Barron's ● Jun. 6, 2026
"It can also be kind of aesthetically or visually pleasing to the eye, it's just so colourful and I think that's what really grabs people in," he says.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026
The plan became for Barack to make his announcement from the steps of the Old State Capitol, a historic landmark that would of course be more visually appealing than any convention center or arena.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
