Silhouette Definition & Meaning

American

British

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms silhouette American [sil-oo-et] / ˌsɪl uˈɛt /

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)

silhouetted, silhouetting

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 British / 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

"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

verb

1. (tr) to cause to appear in silhouette

"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

• unsilhouetted adjective

Etymology

Origin of silhouette

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

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.

For iconic products such as its cable-knit sweater, it added different silhouettes like slim and relaxed fits.

From The Wall Street Journal

Price was best known for his sculptured silhouettes and theatrical styles, including pastel suits which featured in rock band Duran Duran's music video Rio.

From BBC

In the beginning, when we were constructing the dress, I was like, “I’m going to try to get down to that Dior-like silhouette,” which is impossible.

From Los Angeles Times

A grotesque, charred silhouette, reclining, with one knee raised, as if lounging on one of Marseille's nearby beaches.

From BBC

Gene walks away then, but just as he’s framed in the door—silhouetted by the light of the hall—the intercom squawks, and out comes Mrs. Dithers’s voice.

From Literature

Related Words

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

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.