Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

pictorial

/pɪkˈtɔɹi.əl/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.22 in modern English

Syllables: pic-to-ri-al
IPA: /pɪkˈtɔɹi.əl/

13

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

4

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Of, relating to, composed of, or illustrated by pictures.

adj

Described or otherwise represented as if in a picture; graphic or vivid.

adj

Stylistically similar to a painting, especially following the conventions of pictorialism.

noun

A newspaper or magazine with many pictures, or section thereof.

noun

An article primarily featuring many photographs, or simply a collection of photographs.

noun

A stamp featuring a vignette of local scenery or culture.

Example Sentences

"Drawings and pictures are more than mere ornaments in scientific discourse. Blackboard sketches, geological maps, diagrams of molecular structure, astronomical photographs, MRI images, the many varieties of statistical charts and graphs: These pictorial devices are indispensable tools for presenting evidence, for explaining a theory, for telling a story."
"Sunday Pictorial"
"The budding starlet is featured in a pictorial in a glossy magazine next week."
"beautiful Pictorials, topicals, commemoratives, airmails. Introductory selection 40% discount. Ralph Rice, 15 Longlane, West Hartford 7, Conn."

Etymology

From Latin pictōrius (“of painting”) + -al, from pictor (“painter”).

Inflected Forms

more pictorial (comparative) most pictorial (superlative) pictoral (alternative) pictorials (plural)

Derived Forms

nonpictorial pictorialism pictorialist pictoriality pictorialize pictorially pictorialness subpictorial unpictorial

Frequently Paired Words

gallery slideshow

Synonyms

graphic lifelike vivid pictural

Rhymes With

memorial editorial territorial tutorial equatorial senatorial dictatorial directorial prosecutorial immemorial conspiratorial curatorial

Questions

How do you pronounce pictorial?: The recorded pronunciation is /pɪkˈtɔɹi.əl/.
What does pictorial mean?: Of, relating to, composed of, or illustrated by pictures.
Where does pictorial come from?: From Latin pictōrius (“of painting”) + -al, from pictor (“painter”).

How to pronounce pictorial

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “pictorial”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/pɪkˈtɔɹi.əl/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “pictorial”.
Repeat and practice — Say “pictorial” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.