- The definition of a silhouette is the outline or general shape of an object.
An example of silhouette is a profile drawing of someone cut from black paper.
- Silhouette is defined as to create the general shape or outline of something.
An example of silhouette is to create a sketch of a dress.
The silhouette of a woman.
- 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
- any dark shape or figure seen against a light background
- the outline of a figure, garment, etc.; contour
Origin of silhouetteFrench after Étienne de Silhouette (1709-67), French minister of finance, in derogatory reference to his fiscal policies and to such amateur portraits by him, both regarded as inept
- A drawing consisting of the outline of something, especially a human profile, filled in with a solid color.
- An outline that appears dark against a light background. See Synonyms at outline.
transitive verbsil·hou·et·ted, sil·hou·et·ting, sil·hou·ettes
Origin of silhouetteFrench, after Étienne de Silhouette, (1709–1767), French finance minister.
Ludwig van Beethoven
- An illustrated outline filled in with a solid color(s), usually only black, and intended to represent the shape of an object without revealing any other visual details; a similar appearance produced when the object being viewed is situated in relative darkness with brighter lighting behind it; a profile portrait in black, such as a shadow appears to be.
- I could see a silhouette of a figure looking out from the window, but I couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman.
(third-person singular simple present silhouettes, present participle silhouetting, simple past and past participle silhouetted)
- To represent by a silhouette; to project upon a background, so as to be like a silhouette.