silhouette
[ sil-oo-et ]
/ ˌsɪl uˈɛt /
noun
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.
the outline or general shape of something: the slim silhouette of a skyscraper.
a dark image outlined against a lighter background.
verb (used with object), sil·hou·et·ted, sil·hou·et·ting.
to show in or as if in a silhouette.
Printing.
to remove the background details from (a halftone cut) so as to produce an outline effect.
Origin of silhouette
1790–1800; < French
à la silhouette, after Etienne de
Silhouette (1709–67), French finance minister
OTHER WORDS FROM silhouette
un·sil·hou·et·ted, adjectiveWords nearby silhouette
silent vote,
silenus,
silesia,
silesian,
silex,
silhouette,
silica,
silica gel,
silica glass,
silicate,
silicates
Example sentences from the Web for silhouette
British Dictionary definitions for silhouette
silhouette
/ (ˌsɪluːˈɛt) /
noun
the outline of a solid figure as cast by its shadow
an outline drawing filled in with black, often a profile portrait cut out of black paper and mounted on a light ground
verb
(tr)
to cause to appear in silhouette
Word Origin for silhouette
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)