picturesque

Language: en

🇺🇸 /ˈpɪktʃɜrəsk/

📖 Definitions

  1. adjective
    Visually attractive, especially in a quaint or charming way, as if suitable for a painting or picture.; Striking or vivid in description; graphic.; Relating to an 18th-century aesthetic theory that valued roughness, irregularity, and variety in landscape and art.

🔗 Details

Word forms

Comparative: more picturesque Superlative: most picturesque

Collocations

picturesque villagepicturesque settingpicturesque landscapepicturesque viewpicturesque townpicturesque scenery

Derivatives

picturesquelypicturesqueness

Synonyms

sceniccharmingquaintidylliclovelybeautiful

Antonyms

uglyunsightlyunattractive

Commonly confused

pictorial
EN: 'Pictorial' relates to pictures or illustrations (e.g., a pictorial guide); 'picturesque' means visually charming or scenic.
scenic
EN: 'Scenic' broadly describes attractive natural views; 'picturesque' specifically implies a quaint, charming, almost painting-like quality.

Spelling tips

EN: Remember the ending is '-esque' (from Italian 'pittoresco'), not '-esk' or '-esq'. The 'que' ending is shared with words like 'grotesque' and 'burlesque'.

💬 Examples

  1. The village was picturesque, with its cobblestone streets and thatched-roof cottages.

  2. He gave a picturesque account of his adventures in the jungle.

  3. The garden was designed according to picturesque principles, with winding paths and rustic bridges.