imagery

noun

im·​ag·​ery ˈi-mij-rē 

-mi-jə-

plural imageries

1

a

: pictures produced by an imaging system

imagery from the satellite

b

: the product of image makers : images

A host of computer animation tools … have made it easier to create, manipulate, and multiply imagery.

—Dike Blair et al.

also : the art of making images

2

: figurative language

a poem with biblical imagery

3

: mental images

especially : the products of imagination

Examples of imagery in a Sentence

The book contains a great deal of sexual imagery.

The movie was full of biblical imagery.

Recent Examples on the Web

Satellite imagery taken before the strikes shows multiple entrances carved out of the mountainside that are similar to those seen at the Isfahan Tunnel Complex located just over 9 miles north of Khordad. —Kevin Collier, NBC news, 2 Apr. 2026

The flurry of imagery provokes a surreal sort of whiplash. —Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026

Ground systems identified the pose of the arm’s end effector in real time using first‑view camera imagery to plan motion and generate control commands. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 1 Apr. 2026

Experts link its rise to the popularity of SUVs and crossovers, which are often marketed with outdoor imagery. —Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ymagerie "images portrayed in sculpture, painting, etc.," borrowed from Anglo-French, from ymage, image image entry 1 + -erie -ery

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing imagery

• satellite imagery

Kids Definition

imagery

noun

im·​ag·​ery ˈim-ij-(ə-)rē 

plural imageries

1

: images that can be seen or that are imagined

2

: language that suggests how someone or something looks, sounds, feels, smells, or tastes

Medical Definition

imagery

noun

im·​ag·​ery ˈim-ij-(ə-)rē 

plural imageries

: mental images

eidetic imagery

especially : the products of imagination

psychotic imagery