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figure

Pronunciation: /ˈfɪɡə/

The English word “figure” has 20 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. A drawing or diagram conveying information.
  2. The representation of any form, as by drawing, painting, modelling, carving, embroidering, etc.; especially, a representation of the human body.
  3. A person, thing, or action representative of another
  4. The appearance or impression made by the conduct or career of a person.
  5. Distinguished appearance; magnificence; conspicuous representation; splendour; show.
  6. A human figure, which dress or corset must fit to; the shape of a human body.
  7. A numeral.
  8. A number, an amount.
  9. A shape.
  10. A visible pattern as in wood or cloth.
  11. Any complex dance moveᵂ.
  12. A figure of speech.
  13. The form of a syllogism with respect to the relative position of the middle term.
  14. A horoscope; the diagram of the aspects of the astrological houses.
  15. Any short succession of notes, either as melody or as a group of chords, which produce a single complete and distinct impression.
  16. A form of melody or accompaniment kept up through a strain or passage; a motif; a florid embellishment.

verb

  1. To calculate, to solve a mathematical problem.
  2. To come to understand.
  3. To think, to assume, to suppose, to reckon.
  4. To be reasonable or predictable.

Etymology

From Middle English figure, borrowed from Old French figure, from Latin figūra (“form, shape, form of a word, a figure of speech, Late Latin a sketch, drawing”), from fingō (“to form, shape, mold, fashion”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeyǵʰ- (“to mold, shape, form, knead”). Cognate with Ancient Greek τεῖχος (teîkhos), Sanskrit देग्धि (dégdhi), Old English dāg (“dough”). More at dough. Doublet of…

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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.