picturesque

adjective

pic·​tur·​esque ˌpik-chə-ˈresk 

1

a

: resembling a picture : suggesting a painted scene

b

: charming or quaint in appearance

2

: evoking mental images : vivid

picturesquely adverb

picturesqueness noun

Synonyms

• vivid
• graphical
• graphic
• descriptive

Choose the Right Synonym for picturesque

graphic, vivid, picturesque mean giving a clear visual impression in words.

graphic stresses the evoking of a clear lifelike picture.

a graphic account of combat

vivid suggests an impressing on the mind of the vigorous aliveness of something.

a vivid re-creation of an exciting event

picturesque suggests the presentation of a striking or effective picture composed of features notable for their distinctness and charm.

a picturesque account of his travels

Examples of picturesque in a Sentence

The view of the mountains was very picturesque.

wrote a picturesque tale of their journey across the country

Recent Examples on the Web

Located in the picturesque town of Rothes in the Speyside region, it was founded in 1840 by the visionary brothers John and James Grant. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025

In its fourth edition, the event is organized by the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and kicks off the summer term of its multidisciplinary campus in the picturesque hilltop town of Lacoste in the Luberon Valley. —Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 30 June 2025

The courthouse is now considered one of the most picturesque places to get married in a municipal county building in California. —Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2025

A number of celebrities are invited to the wedding festivities, which remain a secret but are expected to kick off on Thursday and end Saturday in the picturesque Italian city. —Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 26 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

French & Italian; French pittoresque, from Italian pittoresco, from pittore painter, from Latin pictor, from pingere

First Known Use

1703, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

picturesque

adjective

pic·​tur·​esque ˌpik-chə-ˈresk 

1

a

: resembling or suitable for a painted picture

a picturesque landscape

b

: charming, quaint

picturesque customs

2

: calling forth a striking mental picture

a picturesque story

picturesquely adverb

picturesqueness noun