Word
Definition
n. the dark shape of something seen against a light background. You can see the outline clearly, but you cannot see any details inside it.
n. the dark shape and outline of someone or something visible against a lighter background, especially in dim light. Refers to the two-dimensional representation of an object's exterior boundaries.
Examples
“The trees were a black silhouette against the sunset.”
“As the sun dipped below the horizon, the silhouette of the mountain range became sharp and dramatic.”
“The photographer waited for the perfect moment when the subject's silhouette would be framed precisely within the archway, creating a stark contrast between the figure and the illuminated stone.”
Examples
simple
“The trees were a black silhouette against the sunset.”
contextual
“As the sun dipped below the horizon, the silhouette of the mountain range became sharp and dramatic.”
complex
“The photographer waited for the perfect moment when the subject's silhouette would be framed precisely within the archway, creating a stark contrast between the figure and the illuminated stone.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'against' to describe the background contrast.
Real-World Examples
“The fashion is pure rockabilly and Americana – her softly coiffed curly hair, the fit-and-flare silhouettes, a vintage style wedding gown, and an American flag sweater.” “On top of it, McGurn has painted silhouettes of her young daughter and her mother, the artist Rita McGurn , who died in 2015.” Etymology
Borrowed from French silhouette, after Étienne de Silhouette (1709–1767), French Controller of Finances. De Silhouette's penny-pinching led to the French term à la Silhouette, applied to things perceived as cheap or austere, such as an outline filled only with black. Étienne de Silhouette's surname is, in turn, gallicized Basque. It derives from Ziloeta or Zilhoeta, modern Basque Zulueta, from the local plural (see -ak) stem of zulo (“hole, cave”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/silhouette
‘외래어’ data: 한국어기초사전 (국립국어원), CC BY-SA 2.0 KR