figuration

noun

fig·​u·​ra·​tion ˌfi-g(y)ə-ˈrā-shən 

1

: form, outline

2

: the act or process of creating or providing a figure

3

: an act or instance of representation in figures and shapes

cubism was explained as a synthesis of colored figurations of objects

—Janet Flanner

4

: ornamentation of a musical passage by using decorative and usually repetitive figures

Examples of figuration in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Shapiro over a career spanning six decades explored figuration and abstraction, reshaping the contours of their overlap. —News Desk, Artforum, 18 June 2025

Hers is a practice of bold experimentation—an ever-evolving artist who explores color and mark-making, using figuration to navigate emotional responses to social upheaval and global crises. —Nargess Banks, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025

The penultimate gallery contained a tiered display that served as a powerful culmination of the exhibition’s exploration of Pan-African tropes/motifs and, in particular, their relationship to abstraction and figuration. —Delinda Collier, Artforum, 1 May 2025

At the Barbican Gallery, the late American artist, Noah Davis’s first UK retrospective blends lush figuration with a fierce commitment to representation and community. —Nargess Banks, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English figuracioun, borrowed from Latin figūrātiōn-, figūrātiō "process of forming, shape, representation," from figūrāre "to shape, make a likeness of, represent" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at figure entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for figuration

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation