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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Picturesque: Definition, Usage & Examples (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：scenic beauty (picturesque)

picturesque 🔊

/ˌpɪk.tʃərˈesk/

adj.

Describing a place, especially in the countryside, that is very attractive and looks like a beautiful painting.

Picturesque scene of a serene countryside valley with rolling hills and a farmhouse.

scenic beauty 🔊

➕

/ˈsiː.nɪk ˈbjuː.ti/

adj.

Refers to a natural or countryside scene that is visually delightful and has the pleasing composition of a painting.

📁 Category：Natural Geography 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From French 'pittoresque', which comes from Italian 'pittoresco', meaning 'in the manner of a painter'.

💡 Mnemonic

Picture + -esque (in the style of). Imagine a scene so beautiful it looks like a perfect picture.

📖 Example

We drove through a picturesque valley dotted with old farmhouses and rolling green hills. 🔊 We drove through a valley possessing scenic beauty, dotted with old farmhouses and rolling green hills.

🔗 Collocations

picturesque landscape – a visually attractive natural view

picturesque village – a charmingly attractive village in a rural setting

picturesque view – a beautiful and pleasing scene to look at

🔄 Synonyms

scenic (adj.) – Having or providing beautiful natural views.

beautiful (adj.) – Pleasing the senses or mind aesthetically.

idyllic (adj.) – Extremely happy, peaceful, or picturesque.

🚫 Antonyms

ugly (adj.) – Unpleasant or repulsive in appearance.

unattractive (adj.) – Not pleasing or appealing to look at.

🌱 Derivatives

picturesquely (adv.) – In a picturesque manner.

picturesqueness (n.) – The quality of being picturesque.

📖 Cultural Story

The word entered English in the early 18th century from French. It reflects the 18th-century aesthetic ideal of the 'Picturesque' movement, championed by writers like William Gilpin, which valued landscape scenery that looked worthy of being painted.

Meaning 2：charmingly old-fashioned (picturesque)

picturesque 🔊

/ˌpɪk.tʃərˈesk/

adj.

Describing buildings or streets that look charming, attractive, and interesting in an old-fashioned way, perfect for a photo.

Picturesque old town street with colorful historic buildings and cobblestones.

charmingly old-fashioned 🔊

➕

/ˈtʃɑːm.ɪŋ.li ˌəʊldˈfæʃ.ənd/

adj.

Refers to buildings, streets, or towns that are visually charming and interesting due to their quaint, historic, or artistically pleasing old-fashioned appearance.

📁 Category：Culture & History 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

The old town center is full of picturesque cobblestone streets and historic buildings with flower boxes at every window. 🔊 The old town center is full of charmingly old-fashioned cobblestone streets and historic buildings with flower boxes at every window.

🔗 Collocations

picturesque alleyway – a narrow, charming, and often historic street

picturesque architecture – buildings that are visually attractive in a quaint or historic style

picturesque setting – a charming and visually appealing location or background

🔄 Synonyms

quaint (adj.) – Attractively unusual or old-fashioned.

charming (adj.) – Very pleasant or attractive.

attractive (adj.) – Pleasing or appealing to the senses.

🚫 Antonyms

modern (adj.) – Relating to the present or recent times, as opposed to the past.

drab (adj.) – Lacking brightness or interest; drearily dull.