pictorial

adjective

pic·​to·​ri·​al pik-ˈtȯr-ē-əl How to pronounce pictorial (audio)
Synonyms of pictorialnext
1
: of or relating to a painter, a painting, or the painting or drawing of pictures
pictorial perspective
2
a
: of, relating to, or consisting of pictures
pictorial records
b
: illustrated by pictures
pictorial weekly
c
: consisting of or displaying the characteristics of pictographs
d
: suggesting or conveying visual images
pictorial poetry
pictorially adverb
pictorialness noun

Examples of pictorial in a Sentence

a pictorial record of the trip that photojournalist is planning to do a primarily pictorial report on the famine in Africa
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.
Silence = Death, the work of the Silence = Death Collective (and not ACT UP, as Avram Finkelstein relates in his interview) became the primary pictorial representation of ACT UP and a rallying slogan for the fight against the disease. Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 3 June 2026 Stripped of any individuating pictorial or textual material, the sign remains recognizable as originating in the streets of Berlin through its figure alone. Erika Landström, Artforum, 2 June 2026 Church, for all his scientific curiosity, was not moved to convert Darwinism into pictorial rhetoric. Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026 The show traces the life and career of Ringgold, who introduced Black women’s pictorial, narrative and craft traditions. La Jolla Light, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pictorial

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin pictorius, from Latin pictor painter — more at picturesque

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pictorial was in 1646

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pictorial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pictorial. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

pictorial

adjective
pic·​to·​ri·​al
pik-ˈtōr-ē-əl
-ˈtȯr-
1
: of or relating to painting or drawing
pictorial art
2
: consisting of or illustrated by pictures
pictorial magazines
3
: suggesting or communicating vivid mental images
pictorial poetry
pictorially
-ē-ə-lē
adverb

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