I. ˈpik-chər noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin pictura, from pictus, past participle of pingere to paint — more at paint
Date: 15th century
1. : a design or representation made by various means (as painting, drawing, or photography)
2.
a. : a description so vivid or graphic as to suggest a mental image or give an accurate idea of something
the book gives a detailed picture of what is happening
b. : a mental image
3. : image , copy
he was the picture of his father
she was the very picture of health
4.
a. : a transitory visible image or reproduction
b. : motion picture
c. plural : movies
5. : tableau 2
6. : situation
took a hard look at his financial picture
II. transitive verb
( pic·tured ; pic·tur·ing ˈpik-chə-riŋ, ˈpik-shriŋ)
Date: 15th century
1. : to paint or draw a representation, image, or visual conception of : depict ; also : illustrate
2. : to describe graphically in words
3. : to form a mental image of : imagine