imagery

noun

IM-ij-ree/ˈɪmɪd͡ʒɹi/

6 meanings of imagery

1
noununcountable
Pictures or photos, especially many of them seen as a group.
The weather report showed satellite imagery of the big storm.
Her travel blog is full of colorful imagery of beaches and markets.
Similarimages, visuals, pictures, photography, graphics
2
noununcountable
Words that make pictures in your mind when you read or listen.
Like a painter who uses words instead of paint to make a picture.
The poem's imagery of falling snow made me feel cold.
Her speech used strong imagery to help us see the crowded streets.
Similardescription, symbolism
Note
3
noununcountable
The work of making statues, pictures, or other figures of things, or the figures themselves.
The old church is full of imagery cut into the stone walls.
The artist's imagery filled the workshop with half-finished wooden figures.
Similarsculpture, statuary, carving
Note
4
noununcountable
Pictures and ideas that come from your imagination but are not real.
The monster he saw was only imagery from his tired mind.
Her fever brought strange imagery of talking animals and flying houses.
Similarfantasy, fancy, imagination
Oppositereality, fact
5
nounfigurativelyuncountable
A show or look that is not real, only a copy of the real thing.
Like a movie set that looks like a real street but is only flat boards.
His friendly smile was just imagery, and he did not really like us.
The rich look of the office was imagery to impress visitors.
Similarshow, pretense, facade, sham, artifice
Oppositesubstance, reality
Note
6
noununcountable
Work that is made to copy or look like something else.
The stone walls are really imagery, made of painted wood.
The ring was cheap imagery that only looked like gold.
Similarimitation, fakery, simulation

Practice

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Origin

It comes from Middle English 'ymagerie', taken from Middle French 'imagerie'. It is made from 'image' plus '-ry'.