/sil'ooh et"/ , n. , v. , silhouetted, silhouetting .
n.
1. a two-dimensional representation of the outline of an object, as a cutout or configurational drawing, uniformly filled in with black, esp. a black-paper, miniature cutout of the outlines of a famous person's face.
2. the outline or general shape of something: the slim silhouette of a skyscraper.
3. a dark image outlined against a lighter background.
v.t.
4. to show in or as if in a silhouette.
5. Print. to remove the background details from (a halftone cut) so as to produce an outline effect.
[ 1790-1800; à la silhouette, after Etienne de Silhouette (1709-67), French finance minister ]