picturesque

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌpɪkt͡ʃəˈɹɛsk/ See IPA manual

adj Freq #26011

Meanings

1

adj
Very pretty and charming, especially in an old-fashioned way; like something in a painting.

We stayed in a picturesque village surrounded by green hills.
2

adj
Using strong, colourful, and vivid language.

He gave a picturesque description of his travels through the desert.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

quaint scenic

Word family

Forms picturesqueness

Derived forms picturesquelypicturesquenesspicturesquishunpicturesque

Etymology

From picture + -esque, a calque of French pittoresque, from picture (“a picture, painting”).

Topics

Describing Qualities

# picturesque

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** ˌpɪkt͡ʃəˈɹɛsk
**Frequency rank:** 26011

## Meanings
1. Very pretty and charming, especially in an old-fashioned way; like something in a painting.
2. Using strong, colourful, and vivid language.

## Examples
- We stayed in a picturesque village surrounded by green hills.
- He gave a picturesque description of his travels through the desert.

## Synonyms
- quaint
- scenic

## Derived Forms
- picturesquely
- picturesqueness
- picturesquish
- unpicturesque

## Roots and Affixes
- Affix: -esque - in the style of

## Etymology
From picture + -esque, a calque of French pittoresque, from picture (“a picture, painting”).

## AI Etymology
Picturesque comes from picture + -esque, a calque of French pittoresque, from picture (“a picture, painting”). In present-day English it covers very pretty and charming, especially in an old-fashioned way; like something in a painting and using strong, colourful, and vivid language. The wider family includes derived forms such as picturesquely, picturesqueness, picturesquish, unpicturesque.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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picturesque

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