What does picturesque mean?
Picturesque describes a place, building, landscape, or scene that is visually attractive and has the charm or distinctiveness of a painting. The word is especially common in travel writing and descriptions of villages, countryside, streets, and historic buildings. It often carries a mildly romantic or idealized tone, suggesting that the scene is picturesque because of its colors, proportions, atmosphere, or overall visual appeal. In descriptive writing, the word may also refer to imagery that vividly evokes a scene in the mind. Although it is broadly positive, it can sometimes imply that a place appears charming in a somewhat old-fashioned or storybook manner. In everyday use, picturesque is a polished alternative to saying that something is beautiful, attractive, or appealing to look at.
adjectiveHaving the appearance of a picture, especially a brightly colored or idealized one. Often used to describe places, scenery, or settings that are unusually attractive or visually distinctive.
- Visually attractive or distinctive, especially in a way that resembles a painting.
- Evoking a vivid or idealized scene through visual or descriptive language.
"We stayed in a picturesque village of stone cottages surrounded by rolling hills."
"The route offers picturesque views of the coast and its colorful fishing villages."
"Her description of the old market was so picturesque that I felt I had seen it myself."
A picturesque place is not merely pretty; it has the visual charm of something an artist would choose to paint.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does picturesque come from?
The word comes through French pittoresque from Italian pittoresco, a term associated with painting and derived from Italian pittore, 'painter,' from Latin pictor, also meaning 'painter.' It originally referred to a style of painting that imitated or resembled the appearance of real scenes, and its modern sense developed from describing scenery that looked like a picture. Its relatives include picture, pictorial, painter, and painting.
Related word forms
How picturesque is actually used
Generally positive and often somewhat literary or descriptive. It can suggest charm, romance, or an idealized appearance, sometimes with the implication that the scene is arranged or perceived like a painting.
Easily confused with picturesque
Pictorial describes something involving pictures or visual representation, whereas picturesque describes something that looks attractive or distinctive, like a picture.