Silhouette
Meaning
An outline of an object, typically appearing dark against a lighter background.
Origin
In 1759, Étienne de Silhouette served a brief, disastrous term as France’s Controller-General of Finance. His severe austerity measures and perceived penny-pinching habits made him deeply unpopular. Around this time, a new, inexpensive form of portraiture gained popularity: a simple, often black-on-white profile cut-out, a cheap alternative to grand paintings. These stark, shadow-like images became known derisively as "à la Silhouette," mocking the minister's notorious cheapness. The pejorative link faded over time, but the word itself stuck, forever associating the simple, graphic outline with the finance minister whose name it bore.
Examples
- The golden hour light cast long, dramatic silhouettes of the trees across the field.
- We could only discern her silhouette in the doorway, making it impossible to see her face clearly.