picture
PIHK-chuh
Picture (noun) means a drawing, painting, or photograph representing something. Example: “She hung a picture of the coastline above the fireplace.”
noun
1
A drawing, painting, or photograph representing something.
"She hung a picture of the coastline above the fireplace."
"He took a picture of the sunset on his phone."
"The child proudly showed her teacher a picture she had painted of a horse."
2
A mental image or clear idea of something.
"Try to get a picture of how the day will go before you start."
"He had a vivid picture of the village from his grandmother's stories."
"The report gives a clear picture of what went wrong."
verb
1
To imagine something vividly, as if seeing it.
"Picture yourself relaxing on a beach with no phone in sight."
"He couldn't picture his old friend as a grandfather."
"Can you picture the garden once all the flowers are in bloom?"
How to use picture
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn image, or the mental idea of one — as a noun a picture, as a verb to imagine.
Common pairings
paint a picture
get the picture
picture yourself
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Word forms
- Plural
- pictures
- Third person singular
- pictures
- Past tense
- pictured
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She hung a _____ of the coastline above the fireplace.
Etymology
From Old French picture, from Latin pictūra ("a painting"), from pingere ("to paint").
Synonyms
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Rhymes for picture
See all rhymes for picture →Frequently asked questions
What does “picture” mean?
The word “picture” means a drawing, painting, or photograph representing something. In plain terms, an image, or the mental idea of one — as a noun a picture, as a verb to imagine.
How do you pronounce “picture”?
“Picture” is pronounced PIHK-chuh (/ˈpɪk.t͡ʃɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “picture” in a sentence?
Here is “picture” used in a sentence: “She hung a picture of the coastline above the fireplace.”
What part of speech is “picture”?
Depending on how it is used, “picture” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “picture” come from?
The word “picture” comes from Latin. From Old French picture, from Latin pictūra ("a painting"), from pingere ("to paint").
Is “picture” a common word?
“Picture” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “picture” have?
“Picture” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a drawing, painting, or photograph representing something.
What is the difference between a picture and a photograph?
A photograph is one specific kind of picture, created with a camera that captures light. Picture is the broader word, covering drawings, paintings, and prints as well as photos. So every photograph is a picture, but a picture is not always a photograph — it may be hand-drawn or painted instead.
What is the difference between a picture and an image?
Picture usually means a physical or clearly visible representation, like a framed drawing or photo. Image is broader and more abstract: it can be a picture, but also a reflection, a mental image in your mind, or digital data on a screen. Every picture is an image, but not every image is a picture.
What are the different meanings of picture?
Besides a drawing, painting, or photo, picture has other uses. It can mean a cinema film, as in 'going to the pictures.' It can describe an overall situation, as in 'the bigger picture.' As a verb, to picture something means to imagine or visualise it clearly in your mind.
What is an example of a picture?
A family photograph on the wall is a common example of a picture. So is a child's crayon drawing, an oil painting in a gallery, or an illustration in a book. Each is a visual representation of something, whether created by hand with pencil and paint or captured with a camera.
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