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pictorial

/pɪkˈtɔriəl/
/pɪkˈtɔriəl/
IPA guide

Other forms: pictorials

If something's pictorial, it has illustrations or photographs. A graphic novel is a pictorial way to tell a story.

Years ago, a pictorial was the name for a magazine that had far more pictures than text, but today the word is mostly used to mean "illustrated." Many books for very young children are mainly pictorial, and you could call your grandparents' photo album a pictorial record of their life together. Pictorial comes from the Latin word pictorius, "of a painter," from pingere, "to paint."

Definitions of pictorial
  1. adjective
    pertaining to or consisting of pictures
    pictorial perspective”
    pictorial records”
    synonyms: pictural
  2. adjective
    evoking lifelike images within the mind
    pictorial poetry and prose”
    synonyms: graphic, lifelike, vivid
    objectivist, objectivistic, realistic
    aware or expressing awareness of things as they really are
  3. noun
    a periodical (magazine or newspaper) containing many pictures
    see moresee less
    type of:
    periodical
    a publication that appears at fixed intervals
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