silhouette

silhouette, outline, figure

noun see-loo-ET Rare

Origin: Named after Étienne de Silhouette, 18th-century French finance minister

Usage Note

silhouette entered English directly from French and retains the same spelling and meaning. It can refer to a dark shape seen against a light background, a person's body outline, or a simplified profile portrait. The eponym is Étienne de Silhouette (1709–1767), whose austerity measures led to cheap profile portraits being mockingly named after him.

Examples

"On voyait sa silhouette dans le brouillard."

Natural Translation

You could see his silhouette in the fog.

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