French word

pictural

Pronunciation

IPA/piktyʁal/

Meaning

  • adjectivepictorial

Example

La scène est picturale.

The scene has a pictorial quality.

Illustration for pictural (pictorial)

More examples

Cette photo a un effet pictural.

This photo has a pictorial effect.

Core concept

A scene arranged through color, light, and composition like a finished painting.

Common phrases

  • effet pictural

    pictorial effect

  • image picturale

    pictorial image

Similar words

pittoresque: Describing a place or landscape that is charming and picturesque.
coloré: Marked by abundant color and a striking visual impression.
vivant: Suggesting liveliness and energy through color or movement.
artistique: Reflecting deliberate aesthetic design or artistic expression.

Definition in French

Qui se rapporte à la peinture ou qui évoque l'aspect d'un tableau par la couleur, la lumière ou la composition.

Word origin

Pictural comes from Latin pictura, 'painting', with the adjective-forming suffix -al, so it denotes a quality related to painting.

Usage tips

  • Pictural is relatively literary and common in art criticism, while everyday speech often uses comme un tableau or pittoresque instead.

Other meanings

  • painterlyadjective

Opposites

  • prosaïqueprosaicadjective

Word lists with this word