silhouette
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silhouette
The outline of a person or object that is visible as a dark shape against a lighter background.
Bei Sonnenuntergang zeichnete sich die Silhouette der Berge scharf gegen den Himmel ab.
At sunset, the silhouette of the mountains stood out sharply against the sky.
You can recognize the meaning from the context. If it is about landscapes, buildings, or people in front of a light source (sky, sun), it means the outline. If it is about art, paper, or portraits, it means the paper cutout.
Die Silhouette der Stadt war beeindruckend.
The silhouette of the city was impressive.
The word 'Silhouette' (silhouette) is often used in figurative or literary language to create an atmospheric, visual description.
Im Mondlicht war nur die unheimliche Silhouette des alten Baumes zu sehen.
In the moonlight, only the eerie silhouette of the old tree could be seen.
In the meaning 'Umriss' (outline), 'Silhouette' (silhouette) is often used with the verb 'sich abzeichnen' (to stand out / to be outlined). Typical contexts are 'im Gegenlicht' (backlit), 'gegen den Himmel' (against the sky), or 'im Nebel' (in the fog).
Die Silhouette des Wanderers zeichnete sich auf dem Berggipfel ab.
The silhouette of the hiker stood out on the mountaintop.
In the meaning 'Scherenschnitt' (paper cutout), 'Silhouette' (silhouette) is an art form. Typical collocations are 'eine Silhouette anfertigen' (to make a silhouette), 'aus schwarzem Papier schneiden' (to cut out of black paper), or 'ein Porträt als Silhouette' (a portrait as a silhouette).
Die Künstlerin kann in wenigen Minuten eine perfekte Silhouette von einer Person schneiden.
The artist can cut a perfect silhouette of a person in just a few minutes.
figure
'Figur' and 'Silhouette' can both have to do with the outer form of a person or an object. For people, 'Figur' means the body shape or figure, that is, what the body looks like overall. 'Silhouette' means only the outline that you see as a dark shape against a light background. You do not see any details, only the outer line. The words can be confused because both talk about appearance. But if you only see a shadow or a dark outer shape, 'Silhouette' is the exact word.
Am Abend sieht man die Silhouette der Stadt vor dem hellen Himmel.
In the evening, you can see the silhouette of the city against the bright sky.
Im Sommer achtet sie beim Sport besonders auf ihre Figur.
In summer, she pays special attention to her figure when exercising.