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illustration Definition

il·lus·tra·tion (il′ə strās̸hən)

noun

  1. an illustrating or being illustrated
  2. an example, story, analogy, etc. used to help explain or make something clear
  3. a picture, design, diagram, etc. used to decorate or explain something

Etymology: ME illustracione < OFr illustration < L illustratio

illustration Related Forms
il′·lus·tra·tional adjective
illustration Synonyms

illustration

n.

  1. An example

    instance, case, model, sample; see example 1.

  2. An illustrative picture

    drawing, painting, engraving, etching, line drawing, diagram, figure, sketch, frontispiece, tailpiece, cartoon, vignette, halftone, inset picture, newsphoto; see also design 1, picture 3, representation. See syn. study at instance.

illustration Usage Examples

Converse of subject

  • accompany: Each double-page contains a short story on one page accompanied by a beautiful illustration on the other.

Converse of object

  • reproduce: For permission to reproduce illustrations, please click here or contact HRP's Picture Library at Hampton Court Palace.
  • contain: Each of the 446 pages contain fabulous illustrations from marine photographers.
  • draw: Perhaps the most famous medical illustration ever drawn is Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man, created about 1487.
  • submit: Illustrations submitted ( line drawings, halftones, photos, photomicrographs, etc. ) should be clean originals or digital files.
  • include: Please include any illustration preferably in the form of a clear line drawing.
  • accompany: The six accompanied illustrations, Figures ( 1 ) to ( 6 ), show a further selection of cellulose lacquer rock peels.

Adjective modifier

  • miscellaneous: The contents include text, maps and a number of other miscellaneous illustrations.
  • photographic: Over 60 black and white photographic illustrations, numerous tables and a most comprehensive index.
  • botanical: I am inspired by botanical illustrations as well as the works of science fiction writers and see my role as a similar one.
  • graphic: That was a graphic illustration of what can happen.
  • vivid: A vivid illustration of these two forces at work is provided by the developing eye.
  • black-and-white: There are more than 3,000 black-and-white illustrations and 10,000 biographical and geographical entries.

Modifies a noun

  • purpose: Images displayed on this website are for illustration purposes only.

Noun used with modifier

  • full-colour: Full-colour illustrations by Gillian Chapman make this the ideal storybook for the telling of the good news of Jesus.
  • watercolor: The characterisation of the hard-pressed duck is achieved almost wholly through watercolor illustrations, and is outstanding.
  • step-by-step: Turning expert Richard Raffan's easy-to-follow instructions and step-by-step illustrations make this accessible to any level of woodturner.
  • color: There are also color illustrations of many of the venues.
  • cm: Size: 17.5 x 10 cm Illustrations: Frontispiece plus eight further wood-cuts Note: Some uncut.
  • frontispiece: Inside, opposite the title page, is a black and white frontispiece illustration.
illustration Quotes

What is character but the determination of incident? What is incident but the illustration of character?

—James, Henry

Browse dictionary entries near illustration

  1. illustrated
  2. illustrate
  3. illusory
  4. illusive
  5. illusionist
  6. illusionism
  7. illusion
  8. illus
  9. illuminism
  10. illumine
  1. illustrative
  2. illustrator
  3. illustrious
  4. illuvial
  5. illuviate
  6. illuviation
  7. illuvium
  8. illy
  9. Illyria
  10. Illyrian