picture

play

noun pic·ture \ˈpik-chər\

Definition of picture

1 : a design or representation made by various means (such as painting, drawing, or photography)
2a : a description so vivid or graphic as to suggest a mental image or give an accurate idea of something the book gives a detailed picture of what is happeningb : a mental image
3 : image, copy he was the picture of his father she was the very picture of health
4a : a transitory visible image or reproductionb : motion picturec pictures plural : movies
5 : tableau 2
6 : situation took a hard look at his financial picture

See picture defined for English-language learners

See picture defined for kids

Examples of picture in a Sentence

I hung the picture on the wall.
The book has a lot of pictures.
Draw a picture of your house.
The staff looked at the financial picture of the company.
The overall economic picture is improving.

Origin and Etymology of picture

Middle English, from Latin pictura, from pictus, past participle of pingere to paint — more at paint

NEW!

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

Other Fine Arts Terms

Gothic, baroque, bas-relief, limn, oeuvre, pastiche, rococo, sfumato

picture

verb pic·ture

Definition of picture

pictured

;

picturing

play \ˈpik-chə-riŋ, ˈpik-shriŋ\

transitive verb
1 : to paint or draw a representation, image, or visual conception of : depict; also : illustrate
2 : to describe graphically in words
3 : to form a mental image of : imagine

See picture defined for English-language learners

Examples of picture in a Sentence

I can still picture the house I grew up in.
I can't picture changing jobs at this point in my life.
Picture what it would be like if you didn't own a car.
Can you picture him as a teacher?

First Known Use of picture

15th century

PICTURE Defined for English Language Learners

picture

play

noun

Definition of picture for English Language Learners

: a painting, drawing, or photograph of someone or something
: an idea of how something or someone looks, of what something is like, etc.
: a general situation

picture

verb

Definition of picture for English Language Learners

: to have a thought, understanding, or idea about (something or someone)
: to show or represent (someone or something) in a painting, drawing, or photograph
: to describe (something or someone) in a particular way

PICTURE Defined for Kids

picture

play

noun pic·ture \ˈpik-chər\

Definition of picture for Students

1 : an image of something or someone formed on a surface (as by drawing, painting, printing, or photography)
2 : an idea of what someone or something might look like or be like The book gives a picture of frontier life.
3 : a perfect example of something She is the picture of health.
4 : movie 1
5 : an image on the screen of a television set

picture

play

verb pic·ture

Definition of picture for Students

pictured

;

picturing

1 : to show or represent in a drawing, painting, or photograph The artist pictured her leaning on a fence.
2 : to form an idea or mental image of : imagine I can't picture myself skiing.
3 : to describe in a particular way The story pictured him as a gentle person.