silhouette

1 of 2

noun

sil·​hou·​ette ˌsi-lə-ˈwet 

1

: a likeness cut from dark material and mounted on a light ground or one sketched in outline and solidly colored in

2

: the outline of a body viewed as circumscribing a mass

the silhouette of a bird

silhouette

2 of 2

verb

silhouetted; silhouetting

transitive verb

: to represent by a silhouette

also : to project on a background like a silhouette

silhouettist

ˌsi-lə-ˈwe-tist 

noun

Did you know?

Before the age of the photograph, the silhouette, either cut from paper or painted, was the most affordable portrait that could be made. The art enjoyed a golden age in the second half of the 18th and first half of the 19th centuries, when many people collected them. Although silhouettes were well-loved, the man for whom they were named was not: Étienne de Silhouette was France's finance minister under Louis XV and was notorious for both his frugality and his hobby of making cut-paper shadow portraits. The phrase à la Silhouette came to mean "on the cheap," and portraits like the ones he produced were (satirically) bestowed with his name as well.

Synonyms

Noun

• contour
• figure
• outline

Verb

• define
• delineate
• outline
• sketch
• trace

Choose the Right Synonym for silhouette

outline, contour, profile, silhouette mean the line that bounds and gives form to something.

outline applies to a line marking the outer limits or edges of a body or mass.

traced the outline of his hand

contour stresses the quality of an outline or a bounding surface as being smooth, jagged, curving, or sharply angled.

a car with flowing contours

profile suggests a varied and sharply defined outline against a lighter background.

a portrait of her face in profile

silhouette suggests a shape especially of a head or figure with all detail blacked out in shadow leaving only the outline clearly defined.

photograph in silhouette against a bright sky

Examples of silhouette in a Sentence

Noun

the silhouettes of buildings against the sky

The buildings appeared in silhouette against the sky.

My piano teacher has a framed silhouette of Mozart on her wall.

a portrait of my mother done in silhouette

He admired the sports car's sleek silhouette.

Verb

in the photograph the majestic mountain is strikingly silhouetted against the setting sun

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Robinson tells me that Nike silhouettes have been pivotal to him for years. —Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 5 Nov. 2024

Ahead of Election Day Cyclorama: The Shape of Things contains a wide spread of imagery: footage on both pro- and anti-segregation riots, recordings from antiquated circus acts featuring a dancing elephant, silhouettes of what appear to be Southern belles in hoop skirts that laugh over tea. —Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 4 Nov. 2024

Verb

Choose a few simple but bold pieces, like this curvy armchair, sculptural side table, and oversized potted palm and silhouette them against an accent wall like this wood paneled one. —Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Oct. 2024

From Queens, bright golden and orange exploding orbs could be seen silhouetting the Empire State Building, itself lit up in red, white and blue. —Prarthana Prakash, Fortune, 5 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French, from Étienne de Silhouette †1767 French controller general of finances; perhaps from his ephemeral tenure

First Known Use

Noun

1783, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1876, in the meaning defined above

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

silhouette

1 of 2 noun

sil·​hou·​ette ˌsil-ə-ˈwet 

1

a

: a picture (as a drawing or cutout) of the outline of an object filled in with a solid usually black color

b

: a profile portrait done in silhouette

2

: the outline of an object seen or as if seen against the light

silhouette

2 of 2 verb

silhouetted; silhouetting

: to represent by a silhouette

also : to show against a light background

ducks silhouetted against the evening sky

silhouettist

-ˈwet-ist 

noun