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

Much of her work, according to an online portfolio, features abstract imagery and bold colors. —Thomas Gounley, Denver Post, 9 June 2026

Launched in 2006, the Pure Michigan campaign quickly became one of the country's most recognizable tourism efforts, pairing cinematic imagery with a calm narration that stood apart from traditional travel ads. —Rachelle Graham, CBS News, 8 June 2026

Still, marketing the industry to young people can be difficult, as outdated imagery of factory workers and assembly lines still dominate popular depictions of the field. —P.r. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 8 June 2026

More imaginatively, Moe designed a T-shirt that combines the imagery of Neptune, the god of the sea, with Brunson, the lord of the Garden. —David Remnick, New Yorker, 8 June 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