picturesque

adjective

pic·​tur·​esque ˌpik-chə-ˈresk How to pronounce picturesque (audio)
1
a
: resembling a picture : suggesting a painted scene
b
: charming or quaint in appearance
2
: evoking mental images : vivid
picturesquely adverb
picturesqueness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for picturesque

graphic, vivid, picturesque mean giving a clear visual impression in words.

graphic stresses the evoking of a clear lifelike picture.

a graphic account of combat

vivid suggests an impressing on the mind of the vigorous aliveness of something.

a vivid re-creation of an exciting event

picturesque suggests the presentation of a striking or effective picture composed of features notable for their distinctness and charm.

a picturesque account of his travels

Examples of picturesque in a Sentence

The view of the mountains was very picturesque. wrote a picturesque tale of their journey across the country
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the picturesque landscape of England's Lake District, a whisky revolution is quietly unfolding. Mark Littler, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025 Prior to the shocking event, Chloe, a high-profile media executive, was living a seemingly picturesque life with Adam and their teenage son, Ethan (Maxwell Acee Donovan). Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 27 Mar. 2025 Sign In Creative Spaces Büro Koray Duman builds a picturesque live-work space in Germantown for Miranda Fengyuan Zhang By Elizabeth FazzarePhotography by Chris Mottalini March 27, 2025 All products featured on Architectural Digest are independently selected by our editors. Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 27 Mar. 2025 As students returned to the picturesque University of Pittsburgh campus after spring break, one student was noticeably missing. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for picturesque

Word History

Etymology

French & Italian; French pittoresque, from Italian pittoresco, from pittore painter, from Latin pictor, from pingere

First Known Use

1703, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of picturesque was in 1703

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Picturesque.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/picturesque. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

picturesque

adjective
pic·​tur·​esque ˌpik-chə-ˈresk How to pronounce picturesque (audio)
1
a
: resembling or suitable for a painted picture
a picturesque landscape
b
: charming, quaint
picturesque customs
2
: calling forth a striking mental picture
a picturesque story
picturesquely adverb
picturesqueness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on picturesque

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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