What does silhouette mean?
A silhouette is the outline of an object or person seen as a dark shape against a lighter background. It can describe a photographic image, a shadow cast on a surface, or the distinctive outline of a person. The word is also used metaphorically for someone’s recognizable overall form, as in “the silhouette of a career.” Silhouettes are especially common in portraiture, fashion photography, graphic design, and descriptions of landscapes viewed at a distance. Because a silhouette suppresses detail and emphasizes shape, it often creates a striking, mysterious, or simplified effect. In contemporary English, it is used for both literal dark outlines and more figurative descriptions of a person’s profile or identity.
A dark outline of an object or person, especially against a lighter background; also, a recognizable overall form or profile.
"A sharp silhouette of the dancer appeared on the stage."
The figurative sense, meaning a distinctive profile or form, is common in art, fashion, and descriptive writing.
To show or form something as a silhouette, especially by outlining it against a brighter background.
"The setting sun silhouetted the workers against the skyline."
The verb is usually transitive and is especially associated with photography, film, and visual description.
The plural is used for multiple outlines, profiles, or images.
"The exhibition displayed silhouettes of the city’s residents."
The word comes from Étienne de Silhouette, whose name became a humorous label for the shadowy outlines associated with his notably thin profile.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does silhouette come from?
The word entered English from French silhouette, a term originally associated with Étienne de Silhouette, an 18th-century French controller-general of finances whose profile was famously thin. The humorous association between his name and the outline of his body led the term to denote a profile or shadow-like outline. English adopted and broadened the word to mean any dark outline or, figuratively, a distinctive form.
Related word forms
How silhouette is actually used
In general use, silhouette is usually a noun. As a verb, it means to form or appear as a dark outline; the form is commonly used in photography, art, and fashion contexts.