What does "vignette" mean?
A running ornament consisting of leaves and tendrils, used in Gothic architecture.
Vignette
/vɪnˈjɛt/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A running ornament consisting of leaves and tendrils, used in Gothic architecture.
- Grammar: vignette is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: sketch, anecdotes, aquatint, autolithograph.
- Useful contrasts: abstract discussion, blank margin, elaborate.
- Usage evidence: Each vignette adds something distinct to the film.
How to use "vignette"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "vignette" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "vignette" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "vignette" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "vignette" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "vignette" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "sketch" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "vignette", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A running ornament consisting of leaves and tendrils, used in Gothic architecture.
- 2 a small illustrative sketch (as sometimes placed at the beginning of chapters in books) wordnet
- 3 A decorative design, originally representing vine branches or tendrils, at the head of a chapter, of a manuscript or printed book, or in a similar position.
"The centrality of this particular trope can been seen in the vignette adorning the opening page of Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d'Alembert's Encyclopédie, ou dictionnaire raisonnée des sciences, des arts et des métiers (1751–1752)."
- 4 a photograph whose edges shade off gradually wordnet
- 5 Any small borderless picture in a book, especially an engraving, photograph, or the like, which vanishes gradually at the edge. broadly
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 a brief literary description wordnet
- 7 A short story or anecdote that presents a scene or tableau, or paints a picture. broadly
"A particular classroom incident, and the vignette I used to portray it, had a significant impact on the interpretative framework for my research into scientific literacy."
- 8 The central pictorial image on a postage stamp.
"At the top of the stamp and centered slightly to the right is the wording, “U. S. Postage,” in white Gothic. Below the vignette are the words, “Little White House,” in quotations, with “Warm Springs,” centered directly below in dark Gothic, […]"
- 9 The characteristic of a camera lens, either by deficiency in design or by mismatch of the lens with the film format, that produces an image smaller than the film's frame with a crudely focused border. Photographers may deliberately choose this characteristic for a special effect.
- 10 Any effect in a photographic picture where qualities vanish towards the edges.
"Liz Brent, broker at Go Brent in Maryland and Washington, DC, said she’s spent the past few months changing how she presents properties by emphasizing photographs, 3-D tours, and video vignettes for homes online."
- 11 A hardware deficiency (even occurring in most expensive models) of a computer display wherein the picture slants towards a colour or brightness towards the edges especially if viewed from an angle.
- 12 A small sticker affixed to a vehicle windscreen to indicate that tolls have been paid.
"In order to drive on Bulgarian roads outside Sofia you'll need to purchase a vignette which must be displayed in the windscreen."
Verb
- 1 To make, as an engraving or a photograph, with a border or edge gradually fading away.
"Long minutes afterwards the sun disclosed itself, high above the earth's rim, over a vignetted bank of edgeless mist."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Each vignette adds something distinct to the film."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "vignette"?
Common synonyms include: sketch, anecdotes, aquatint, autolithograph, bildungsroman, black and white.
How do you use "vignette" in a sentence?
Each vignette adds something distinct to the film.
How do you pronounce "vignette"?
Pronounced /vɪnˈjɛt/.
Etymology
First attested in 1751. From French vignette, diminutive of vigne (“vine”), from Latin vīnea, from vīnum (“wine”). Replaced earlier Middle English vynet.