contour

nounoutline, profile

Word Origin & History

1660s, a term in painting and sculpture, from French contour "circumference, outline," from Italian and Medieval Latin contornare "to go around," from Latin com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + tornare "to turn (on a lathe);" see turn (v.).

First recorded application to topography is from 1769. Earlier the word was used to mean "bedspread, quilt" (early 15c.) in reference to its falling over the sides of the mattress. Related: Contoured. Contour line in geography is from 1844.

Example Sentences for contour

Her contour was rather square than oblong, and she was very heavy.

If ever he praised a limb, a tint, a contour, it was solely from the artistic point of view.

A scanty growth of whisker did not conceal the contour of his jaw.

“I wonder you had the heart to risk spoiling its contour,” she said resentfully.

The circumference of the crest on the 10,000-foot contour is nearly seven miles.

It was a contour map, giving the hills, sand reaches, and groves.

But the features were nonhuman, closer to saurian in contour.

And the contour of the cliff was plainly visible in front of it.

There were no lines, nothing lost, nothing hardened in contour.

Sometimes the contour of the country drove him into the open or down into hollows.

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Synonyms for contour

noun outline, profile

contour

Synonyms for contour

More words related to contour

border

bordered

borders

configuration

construction

contour line

contour

Synonyms for contour

More words related to contour

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bordered

borders

configuration

construction

contour line

border