Meaning

5 senses
  1. Of use as a metaphor, simile, metonym or other figure of speech, as opposed to literal; using figures.

    bildlich, figürlich, metaphorisch

    перено́сныйperenósnyj, о́бразныйóbraznyj, фигура́льныйfigurálʹnyj

    о́бразнийóbraznyj, перено́снийperenósnyj

    (used of the meanings of words or text) not literal; using figures of speech

  2. Metaphorically so called.

    im übertragenen Sinne

  3. With many figures of speech.

    bilderreich

  4. Emblematic, symbolic; representative, exemplative.

    sinnbildlich, symbolisch

  5. Representing forms recognisable in life and clearly derived from real object sources, in contrast to abstract art.

    1875-1886, John Addington Symonds, Renaissance in Italy They belonged to a nation dedicated to the figurative arts, and they wrote for a public familiar with painted form.

Examples

9 sentences
  1. What do you prefer, abstract or figurative painting?

    ruЧто вы предпочитаете, абстрактную или образную живопись?

    deWas ist dir lieber: abstrakte oder gegenständliche Malerei?

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  2. Yanni wrote a study about modern figurative art.

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  3. The figurative meaning is no longer in current use.

    ruМетафорический смысл уже не в ходу.

    deDie übertragene Bedeutung wird nicht mehr verwendet.

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  4. In both the literal and figurative sense a donkey is hardier than a horse.

    CC BY · Tatoeba · jayrod84 · B2Open on TatoebaReport a problem
  5. If this sentence has a figurative meaning, I would not be aware of it.

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Translations

9 languages
Українська
By meaning 1
metaphorical; not literal:
Русский
By meaning 1
metaphorical; not literal:
Deutsch
By meaning 4
metaphorical; not literal:
metaphorically so called:
with many figures of speech:
emblematic:

Origin

From Middle French figuratif.

From Middle French figuratif.

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

more figurative, most figurative
Comparativemore figurative Lesson
Superlativemost figurative Lesson

regular

Synonyms

6 synonyms
Close in meaning
  • (used of the meanings of words or text) not literal; using figures of speech:nonliteral
  • consisting of or forming human or animal figures:figural

Antonyms

1 antonyms

Word family

7 related words

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
figurative — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto