vignette

[ vin-yet ]
/ vɪnˈyɛt /

noun

a decorative design or small illustration used on the title page of a book or at the beginning or end of a chapter.
an engraving, drawing, photograph, or the like that is shaded off gradually at the edges so as to leave no definite line at the border.
a decorative design representing branches, leaves, grapes, or the like, as in a manuscript.
any small, pleasing picture or view.
a small, graceful literary sketch.

verb (used with object), vi·gnet·ted, vi·gnet·ting.

Photography. to finish (a picture, photograph, etc.) in the manner of a vignette.

Origin of vignette

1745–55; < French: literally, little vine (see vine, -ette); so called from vinelike decorations in early books

OTHER WORDS FROM vignette

vi·gnet·tist, noun

Example sentences from the Web for vignetting

British Dictionary definitions for vignetting (1 of 2)

vignetting
/ (vɪˈnjɛtɪŋ) /

noun

the technique of producing a photographic vignette, esp a portrait, by progressively reducing the amount of light falling on the photographic surface towards the edges
the reduction in area of a light beam passing through a camera lens as the obliquity of the beam is increased

British Dictionary definitions for vignetting (2 of 2)

vignette
/ (vɪˈnjɛt) /

noun

verb (tr)

to finish (a photograph, picture, etc) with a fading border in the form of a vignette
  1. to decorate with vignettes
  2. to portray in or as in a vignette

Derived forms of vignette

vignettist, noun

Word Origin for vignette

C18: from French, literally: little vine, from vigne vine; with reference to the vine motif frequently used in embellishments to a text