silhouette

/ˌsɪl.uˈet/ French Origin Arts

Original Word

silhouette

French

Entered English

18th century

First recorded usage in English

The Story Behind "silhouette"

From the name of Étienne de Silhouette, an 18th century French finance minister known for his austerity. The term originally referred to cheap paper-cut portraits and came to mean any dark outline or shadow.

Example Usage

"The silhouette of the castle was visible against the sunset sky."

All French Loanwords Look Up in Dictionary

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