vignette

1 of 2

noun

vi·gnette vin-ˈyet

vēn-

Synonyms of vignette next

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

: the pictorial part of a postage stamp design as distinguished from the frame and lettering

: a short descriptive literary sketch

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

: a running ornament (as of vine leaves, tendrils, and grapes) put on or just before a title page or at the beginning or end of a chapter

also : a small decorative design or picture so placed

vignettist

vin-ˈye-tist

vēn-

noun

vignette

2 of 2

verb

vignetted; vignetting

transitive verb

: to finish (something, such as a photograph) like a vignette

: to describe briefly

vignetter noun

Did you know?

The Connection Between Vignette and Vines

Vignette comes from the Middle French noun vigne, meaning "vine." In English, the word was first used in the early 17th 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 vignette began being used for a brief literary sketch or narrative.

Examples of vignette in a Sentence

Noun The play's program features a little vignette about each member of the cast. The film is a series of vignettes about living with cancer.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Instead of moving from left to right, Kastner wove together the story in her composition by zooming in on three sections of the image and writing a minute-long vignette about each part. —

Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Nov. 2023 In 1991, Waits scored Jarmusch’s Night on Earth, a collection of vignettes about taxi drivers and their passengers that starred Winona Ryder and Rosie Perez. —

Al Shipley, Spin, 3 Oct. 2023 There is no shortage of charming autumnal vignettes to find in Leiper's Fork. —

Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2023 In the study, researchers didn’t find evidence of any difference in the program’s responses relative to a patient’s age or gender, which were given in each vignette. —

IEEE Spectrum, 7 Sep. 2023 Tie pinecones and evergreen clippings around glass jars with twine to turn kitchen countertops into a festive vignette. 20 of 32 Traditional Holiday Wreath Fashion a wreath from assorted greenery, holly berries, and pinecones for a classic holiday decoration. —

Kaylei Fear, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Nov. 2023 The venue’s nightly programme night starts after 9 p.m. with the first act of Belle de Nuit, or Beauty of the Night, made up of four vignettes, followed by a DJ interlude, then a second act with another four scenes and DJ break. —

Melinda Sheckells, Variety, 3 Nov. 2023 Shot in Bangkok, the clip shows a series of vignettes of couples around the city sharing tender moments, as Sivan breaks out his best choreography for the song’s chorus. —

Stephen Daw, Billboard, 20 Sep. 2023 That bond is in stark contrast to vignettes about Jagger and Richards teasing Jones. —

David Browne, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vignette.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.