silhouette
The origin and history of silhouette.
Etymology
Named after Étienne de Silhouette, an 18th-century French finance minister known for his stinginess — cut-out black-outline portraits were a cheap alternative to painted ones, and the joke stuck.
Class of 1700
silhouette first entered the language around 1700. Other words from the same year:
See the full Class of 1700 →