Word of the Day

: September 18, 2021

vignette

noun vin-YET

What It Means

A vignette is a short written description or a brief scene in a movie or play.

// The play's program features a brief vignette about each member of the cast.

// The documentary is a series of vignettes showing the lives of three families under quarantine during the pandemic.

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vignette in Context

"Additional pregame and in-game presentations will feature tributes and vignettes honoring [Phil] Niekro as one of baseball's greatest knuckleball pitchers." — The Albany (Georgia) Herald, 9 Aug. 2021

Did You Know?

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.