Word of the Day

: June 8, 2009

vignette

noun vin-YET

What It Means

1 : a running ornament or design (as of vine leaves, tendrils, and grapes) on a page

2 a : a picture (as an engraving or photograph) that shades off gradually into the surrounding paper

b : the pictorial part of a postage stamp

3 a : a short descriptive literary sketch

b : a brief incident or scene (as in a play or movie)

vignette in Context

As a writing exercise, Jamie filled her journal with vignettes about her teachers and classmates.

Did You Know?

"Vignette" comes from Middle French "vignete," the diminutive form of the noun "vigne," meaning "vine." In English, the word was first used in the mid-18th century for a design or illustration that ran along the blank border of a page, or one that marked the beginning or end of a chapter. Such designs got their name because they often looked like little vines. It wasn’t until the late 19th century that usage of “vignette” had shifted to cover a brief literary sketch or narrative, as we commonly see it used today.