contour Definition
con·tour (kän′to̵̅o̅r′)
noun
- the outline of a figure, mass, land, etc.
- the representation of such an outline
Etymology: Fr < It contorno < LL contornare, to go around < L com-, intens. + tornare, to turn in a lathe: see turn
transitive verb
- to make a contour or outline of
- to mark contour lines on
- to shape or mold to conform to the contour of something a chair contoured to fit the body
- to construct (a road, etc.) in accordance with natural contours
adjective
- made so as to conform to the shape or outline of something contour sheets for a bed
- characterized by the making of furrows along the natural contour lines so as to avoid erosion, as on a hillside contour farming
contour Synonyms
contour Synonyms
contour Usage Examples
Converse of object
- undulate: Many authors would liken the rolling sugar fields around Bridgetown to the undulating contours of Dorset or the Cotswolds.
- hug: Tracks and roads hugged contours and natural landscape features: they fitted in, they became part of the landscape.
- overlay: Look for topographic association by overlaying contours or shaded relief.
Preposition: for
runway: The noise contour for the existing runway in 2002 is outlined in red but no noise contour is given for that runway in 2017.
Adjective modifier
- bathymetric: The example shows a magnified portion of the ' displaying bathymetric contours ' image created using the zoom feature.
- f0: The main acoustic evidence is conveyed by the fundamental frequency or F0 contour.
- illusory: Or changes in textures have been used by Albrecht Dürer to create illusory contours in his etchings such as Rhinoceros.
- facial: It can help you to regain your youthful facial features and clear complexion, tighten your facial contours and reduce sagging.
- melodic: Corporeal manifestations of imagery occur in the form of unconscious finger movements whose patterns correspond to the melodic contour of the imagined piece.
- smooth: This Oakley art is highlighted by the smooth contour of a single continuous lens.
Modifies a noun
- advection: Lett. we present the results of contour advection calculations using winds derived from the UK Universities Global Atmospheric Modeling Program ( UGAMP ) model.
- plot: Figure 8.4: Contour plot of the surface z = x 2 - y 2.
- interval: The contour interval for this example is 20 meters.
- map: We supply contour maps to be used with our route notes.
- line: Building up the map, showing land use or contour lines, you'll end up with a picture similar to below.
Preposition: along
hillside: It drops down to the river and contours along the hillside along the other side of the valley through disturbed temperate forest and shrubbery.
Preposition: of
hillside: The RACC will follow the contours of the hillside.
Noun used with modifier
- intonation: Rules specify how these elementary pitch movements can be combined to create intonation contours for entire messages.
- f0: Generating f0 contours for speech synthesis using the tilt intonation theory.
- noise: An example noise contour plot of road traffic noise in a residential area is shown.
Browse dictionary entries near contour
- ‹ contortionist
- ‹ contortion
- ‹ contort
- ‹ conto
- ‹ continuum
- ‹ continuously variable slope delta modulation
- ‹ continuous wave
- ‹ continuous redial
- ‹ continuous
- ‹ continuo
- contour feathers ›
- contour interval ›
- contour line ›
- contour map ›
- contoured ›
- contr ›
- contra ›
- contra account ›
- contra- ›
- contraband ›

