contour

contour
contour 1660s, a term in painting and sculpture, from Fr. contour "circumference, outline," from It. and M.L. contornare "to go around," from L. com-, intensive prefix (see COM- (Cf. com-)), + tornare "to turn on a lathe," from tornus "lathe" (see TURN (Cf. turn)). First recorded application to topography is from 1769. Earlier the word was used to mean "bedspread, quilt" (early 15c.) in reference to its falling over the sides of the mattress. Related: Contoured. Contour line in geography is from 1844.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • contour — [ kɔ̃tur ] n. m. • v. 1200 « enceinte »; de contourner, avec infl. de l it. contorno 1 ♦ (1651) Limite extérieure d un objet, d un corps. ⇒ bord, bordure, délinéament, limite, périmètre, périphérie, 3. tour. Le contour d une table, d un tapis.… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Contour — may refer to: an outline or silhouette a contour line on a contour map, or the corresponding line on the ground or sea bed Contour (linguistics), a phonetic sound Pitch contour (music), a melody shape Contour (camera system), a 3D digital camera… …   Wikipedia

  • CONTOUR — antes del lanzamiento Organización NASA Estado Perdido en el espacio …   Wikipedia Español

  • contour — [kän′to͞or΄] n. [Fr < It contorno < LL contornare, to go around < L com , intens. + tornare, to turn in a lathe: see TURN] 1. the outline of a figure, mass, land, etc. 2. the representation of such an outline vt. 1. to make a contour or… …   English World dictionary

  • contour — CONTOUR. subs. masc. Terme de Peinture et de Sculpture. Ce qui termine une figure, ou les parties d une figure. Un beau contour. Le contour de cette figure est admirable. De beaux contours. Des contours hardis, bien entendus. Des contours élégans …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • Contour — Con*tour , n. [F. contour, fr. contourner to mark the outlines; con + tourner to turn. See {Turn}.] 1. The outline of a figure or body, or the line or lines representing such an outline; the line that bounds; periphery. [1913 Webster] Titian s… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • contour — Contour. s. m. Terme de Peinture & de Sculpture. Ce qui termine une figure, & les parties d une figure, & leur donne le tour qu elles doivent avoir. Un beau contour. le contour de cette figure est admirable. de beaux contours. des contours hardis …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Contour — Contour, der Abriß oder Umriß von Bildern, Gebäuden oder andern Dingen, die durch ihre Gestalt in die Augen fallen. Bildlich wendet man es auch z. B. auf Wissenschaften an; und der Contour einer solchen müßte ihren Umfang und Inhalt so darstellen …   Damen Conversations Lexikon

  • contour — ► NOUN 1) an outline, especially one representing or bounding the shape or form of something. 2) (also contour line) a line on a map joining points of equal height above or below sea level. ► VERB 1) mould into a specific shape. 2) (contoured)… …   English terms dictionary

  • Contour — (fr., spr. Kongtuhr, ital. Contorno), Umriß, Linien, durch welche bei Zeichnungen die äußeren Umrisse der Figuren u. Gegenstände bestimmt werden; davon Contonriren, die Umrisse der Figuren zeichnen. Von der Richtigkeit der C. hängt im Allgemeinen …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

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