Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Silhouette

Silˊhou-ette′

,
Noun.
[F.; – so called from Etienne de
Silhoutte
, a French minister of finance in 1759, whise diversion it was to make such portraits on the walls of his apartments.]
A representation of the outlines of an object filled in with a black color; a profile portrait in black, such as a shadow appears to be.

Silˊhou-ette′

,
Verb.
T.
To represent by a silhouette; to project upon a background, so as to be like a silhouette.
[Recent]
A flock of roasting vultures
silhouetted
on the sky.
The Century.

Definition 2024


Silhouette

Silhouette

See also: silhouette and silhouetté

German

Noun

Silhouette f (genitive Silhouette, plural Silhouetten)

  1. silhouette

Synonyms

  • Schattenriss

silhouette

silhouette

See also: Silhouette and silhouetté

English

A silhouette of a skate.

Noun

silhouette (plural silhouettes)

  1. An illustrated outline filled in with a solid color(s), usually only black, and intended to represent the shape of an object without revealing any other visual details; a similar appearance produced when the object being viewed is situated in relative darkness with brighter lighting behind it; a profile portrait in black, such as a shadow appears to be. [mid 19th c.]
    I could see a silhouette of a figure looking out from the window, but I couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman.

Translations

Verb

silhouette (third-person singular simple present silhouettes, present participle silhouetting, simple past and past participle silhouetted)

  1. To represent by a silhouette; to project upon a background, so as to be like a silhouette. [late 19th c.]

French

Etymology

From Silhouette, after Étienne de Silhouette, a French politician, from Basque.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /silwɛt/

Noun

silhouette f (plural silhouettes)

  1. silhouette

Verb

silhouette

  1. first-person singular present indicative of silhouetter
  2. third-person singular present indicative of silhouetter
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of silhouetter
  4. third-person singular present subjunctive of silhouetter
  5. second-person singular imperative of silhouetter