silhouette

[ sil-oo-et ]

noun

1. a two-dimensional representation of the outline of an object, as a cutout or configurational drawing, uniformly filled in with black, especially a black-paper, miniature cutout of the outlines of a person's face in profile.
2. the outline or general shape of something:

   the slim silhouette of a skyscraper.

3. a dark image outlined against a lighter background.

verb (used with object)

, sil·hou·et·ted, sil·hou·et·ting.

1. to show in or as if in a silhouette.
2. Printing. to remove the background details from (a halftone cut) so as to produce an outline effect.

silhouette

/ ˌsɪluːˈɛt /

noun

1. the outline of a solid figure as cast by its shadow
2. an outline drawing filled in with black, often a profile portrait cut out of black paper and mounted on a light ground

verb

1. tr to cause to appear in silhouette

Other Words From

• unsil·hou·etted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of silhouette¹

First recorded in 1790–1800; from French à la silhouette, after Etienne de Silhouette (1709–67), French finance minister; the surname Silhouette is ultimately from Basque Zilhoeta, from zilo, zilho, zulo “hole” + -eta, toponymic suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of silhouette¹

C18: named after Étienne de Silhouette (1709–67), French politician, perhaps referring to silhouettes as partial portraits, with a satirical allusion to Silhouette's brief career as controller general (1759)

Example Sentences

There are competent if conventional scenes of fog-laden meadows and villages silhouetted against distant skies.

From New York Times

The lounge silhouette is super comfortable, and over time it molds to you.

From Los Angeles Times

Still others have marketed black-and-white striped wetsuits based on a theory similar to that behind the LED lights: disrupting the prey-like silhouette.

From Los Angeles Times

The costumes of Naomi Yoshida deserve their own glossy catalog, so vibrant are the colors and so expressive the silhouettes.

From Los Angeles Times

This means that sometimes the sharks mistake a surfer's silhouette for the outline of a seal.

From BBC

Related Words

• contour
• likeness
• portrait
• shade
• shadow
• shape