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

There are farmers' markets all over the county offering everything from fruits and veggies to jams and maple syrup, and picturesque towns and villages like Fleischmanns, Walton, and Hobart provide scenic locales for strolling, shopping, and dining. —Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025

Grandpa’s Cellar now has more than 16,000 followers on Instagram and nearly 10,000 on Facebook, much of which Kelsey attributed to his wife’s efforts to engage the community with the picturesque drinks. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2025

Walk 15 minutes northeast to Brera, one of Milan’s most picturesque neighborhoods, full of narrow streets lined with stately buildings. —Laura Itzkowitz, AFAR Media, 3 Oct. 2025

The Apple Valley Model Railroad Museum has an enormous (22 feet by 100 feet) model railroad built in a picturesque Western North Carolina landscape. —Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 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