What does figurine mean?
A figurine is a small, three-dimensional figure representing a person, animal, or mythical being, crafted from materials such as porcelain, ceramic, wood, metal, glass, or plastic. Unlike statues, figurines are miniature in scale — small enough to hold or to display on a shelf or mantelpiece. They range widely in purpose and prestige: some are delicate works of art produced by celebrated porcelain houses, others are inexpensive ornaments, children's playthings, or game pieces used in board games and tabletop wargaming. Collecting figurines is a popular pastime, and certain antique examples command high prices among enthusiasts. The term derives from Italian 'figurina', itself rooted in Latin 'figura', meaning shape or form, placing it in the same family as words like figure and figurative. Versatile and widely understood across the English-speaking world, figurine is a useful word whenever smallness of scale distinguishes a sculpted object from monumental statuary.
nounA small sculpted or molded figure, especially one depicting a human or animal, made of materials such as porcelain, clay, wood, metal, or plastic.
- A small ornamental sculpted figure of a person or animal.
- A small figure used as a game piece or token in board games and tabletop games.
"The shelf displayed a delicate porcelain figurine of a ballerina mid-leap."
"She inherited a collection of Meissen figurines from her grandmother."
"He carefully painted each miniature figurine before setting up the battlefield."
Standard regular plural; used without variation in both British and American English.
"The curio cabinet was crowded with dozens of porcelain figurines."
The word 'figurine' is borrowed almost whole from Italy — and it was the tiny glazed figures of Italian ceramicists that gave English one of its favorite words for collectible art.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of figurine
Figurine entered English from French 'figurine', which was borrowed from Italian 'figurina', a diminutive of 'figura' (figure). The ultimate root is Latin 'figura', meaning shape, form, or figure. Its cognates include figure, figural, figurative, and configuration, all descending from the same Latin root.
How figurine is actually used
Figurine is a neutral noun with no strong connotations; it carries an air of the decorative and collectible. The word applies equally to fine art objects (porcelain, bronze) and to mass-produced items such as game miniatures.
Easily confused with figurine
A statue is typically a large-scale sculpture, while a figurine is by definition small enough to be held or displayed on a shelf.