silhouette Hear it!

silhouette definition

sil·hou·ette (sil′ə wet′)

noun

    1. an outline, esp. a profile portrait, made either by cutting from black paper and fixing on a light background, or by drawing and then filling in with a solid color
    2. any dark shape or figure seen against a light background
  2. the outline of a figure, garment, etc.; contour

Etymology: Fr, after Étienne de Silhouette (1709-67), Fr minister of finance, in derogatory reference to his fiscal policies and to such amateur portraits by him, both regarded as inept

transitive verb silhouetted -·et′·ted, silhouetting -·et′·ting

to show or project in silhouette

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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