How Do You Spell SILHOUETTE?

Pronunciation: [sˌɪlʊwˈɛt] (IPA)

The word "silhouette" is spelled as /ˌsɪl.uːˈet/ in IPA phonetic transcription. It is believed to have originated from the name of Etienne de Silhouette, a French finance minister in the 18th century. The spelling of the word includes the silent "h" after "l", which is typical of many French loanwords in English. The pronunciation of the word emphasizes the long "e" sound in the second syllable and the stress falling on the second syllable, making it sound like "sil-oo-ET."

SILHOUETTE Meaning and Definition

  1. Silhouette refers to a dark or solid outline or shape that appears in contrast to its surroundings, typically against a lighter background or a source of light. This term is commonly used in various contexts, such as art, photography, fashion, and design.

    In art, a silhouette is the representation of an object, figure, or scene as a solid, black shape, often without any internal details or color variation. It is created by outlining the external contours of the subject, resulting in a stark contrast between the foreground and the background. Silhouettes are often used to simplify the form or to create a striking visual presence.

    In photography, a silhouette is captured by positioning the subject in front of a bright light source, such as the sun or a window, resulting in a dark, shadowy figure with minimal detail. This technique is often employed to create dramatic or mysterious images.

    In fashion and design, a silhouette refers to the overall shape or outline that a garment, accessory, or object creates when worn or displayed. It helps define and characterize the style, cut, and aesthetics of an item, whether it is a dress, hat, building, or piece of furniture.

    Overall, a silhouette is a distinct, often black or dark, outline or shape that stands out against a lighter background or is formed by a source of light. It is widely used in various fields to convey style, form, and visual impact.

  2. The outline of an object filled in with a black colour; a profile or side face represented as a solid black mass.

    Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for SILHOUETTE *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for SILHOUETTE

Etymology of SILHOUETTE

The word "silhouette" dates back to the 18th century and originates from the name of Étienne de Silhouette, who was a French finance minister during the reign of Louis XV. Silhouette implemented severe economic policies, including imposing taxes and cutting expenses, which led to unpopularity. As a result, people began using the term "à la Silhouette" to describe things that were done cheaply or in a simplified manner.

Shortly after, this term was associated with the portrait profile cutouts made popular during that era. The art of creating these shadow profiles, often black in color, was referred to as "silhouette". Over time, the term "silhouette" became associated with any outline or shape that is dark and lacks detail.

Plural form of SILHOUETTE is SILHOUETTES

Conjugate verb Silhouette

CONDITIONAL

I would silhouette
you would silhouette
he/she/it would silhouette
we would silhouette
they would silhouette

CONDITIONAL CONTINUOUS

I would be silhouetting
you would be silhouetting
he/she/it would be silhouetting
we would be silhouetting
they would be silhouetting

CONDITIONAL PERFECT

I would have silhouette
you would have silhouette
he/she/it would have silhouette
we would have silhouette
they would have silhouette

CONDITIONAL PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I would have been silhouetting
you would have been silhouetting
he/she/it would have been silhouetting
we would have been silhouetting
they would have been silhouetting

FUTURE

I will silhouette
you will silhouette
he/she/it will silhouette
we will silhouette
they will silhouette

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

I will be silhouetting
you will be silhouetting
he/she/it will be silhouetting
we will be silhouetting
they will be silhouetting

FUTURE PERFECT

I will have silhouetted
you will have silhouetted
he/she/it will have silhouetted
we will have silhouetted
they will have silhouetted

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I will have been silhouetting
you will have been silhouetting
he/she/it will have been silhouetting
we will have been silhouetting
they will have been silhouetting

IMPERATIVE

you silhouette
we let´s silhouette

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

to silhouette

PAST

I silhouetted
you silhouetted
he/she/it silhouetted
we silhouetted
they silhouetted

PAST CONTINUOUS

I was silhouetting
you were silhouetting
he/she/it was silhouetting
we were silhouetting
they were silhouetting

PAST PARTICIPLE

silhouetted

PAST PERFECT

I had silhouetted
you had silhouetted
he/she/it had silhouetted
we had silhouetted
they had silhouetted

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I had been silhouetting
you had been silhouetting
he/she/it had been silhouetting
we had been silhouetting
they had been silhouetting

PRESENT

I silhouette
you silhouette
he/she/it silhouettes
we silhouette
they silhouette

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

I am silhouetting
you are silhouetting
he/she/it is silhouetting
we are silhouetting
they are silhouetting

PRESENT PARTICIPLE

silhouetting

PRESENT PERFECT

I have silhouetted
you have silhouetted
he/she/it has silhouetted
we have silhouetted
they have silhouetted

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I have been silhouetting
you have been silhouetting
he/she/it has been silhouetting
we have been silhouetting
they have been silhouetting
I would have silhouetted
we would have silhouetted
you would have silhouetted
he/she/it would have silhouetted
they would have silhouetted

Infographic

Add the infographic to your website: