Standard Lemma guide

delineation

noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /diːlɪniˈeɪʃən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -eɪʃən
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH0 L IH2 N IY0 EY1 SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The act of delineating; depiction.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An image of the outline of an object.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: art, arts

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A graphic verbal description.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

representation by drawing or painting etc

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: depiction, portrayal

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: pictorial representation, picturing

Narrower terms: portraiture

5

noun

Meaning 5

a drawing of the outlines of forms or objects

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: depiction, limning, line drawing

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: drawing

Narrower terms: animalization

6

noun

Meaning 6

a graphic or vivid verbal description

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • too often the narrative was interrupted by long word pictures
  • the author gives a depressing picture of life in Poland
  • the pamphlet contained brief characterizations of famous Vermonters

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: word picture, word-painting, depiction, picture, characterization, characterisation

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: description, verbal description

Narrower terms: epithet, portrayal, portraiture, portrait

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

25 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: очертаване (očertavane) — the act of delineating; depiction
  • Bulgarian: скициране (skicirane) — the act of delineating; depiction
  • Catalan: delineament — the act of delineating; depiction
  • Catalan: delineació — the act of delineating; depiction
  • Dutch: omlijning — the act of delineating; depiction
  • Dutch: schets — the act of delineating; depiction
  • Dutch: afbakening — the act of delineating; depiction
  • Ancient Greek: καταγραφή (katagraphḗ) — the act of delineating; depiction
  • Hindi: रेखांकन (rekhāṅkan) — the act of delineating; depiction
  • Irish: dreachadh — the act of delineating; depiction
  • Italian: delineazione — the act of delineating; depiction
  • Italian: delineamento — the act of delineating; depiction
  • Russian: очерчивание (očerčivanije) — the act of delineating; depiction
  • Russian: вычерчивание (vyčerčivanije) — the act of delineating; depiction
  • Bulgarian: очертание (očertanie) — an image of the outline of an object
  • French: ébauche — an image of the outline of an object
  • German: Skizze — an image of the outline of an object
  • Irish: léiriú — an image of the outline of an object
  • Portuguese: esboço — an image of the outline of an object
  • Russian: очерта́ние (očertánije) — an image of the outline of an object
  • Russian: контур (kontur) — an image of the outline of an object
  • Bulgarian: обрисуване (obrisuvane) — a graphic verbal description
  • Irish: cur síos — a graphic verbal description
  • Irish: cuntas — a graphic verbal description
  • Russian: обрисование (obrisovanije) — a graphic verbal description
Real reading context

delineation in complete knowledge articles

Tai A Chau Places & the world · Challenging · 1 uses