picturesque

Everyday

1. Very pretty, like a picture or a postcard, especially an old village or a countryside view. tree →
2. (of language) Vivid and colourful, full of interesting description. tree →

In the lessons

In geography, travel and descriptive writing, picturesque villages, harbours and valleys are charming places tourists like to visit. Writers use it to paint a scene for the reader. Similar: pretty, scenic, charming.

Examples

• We stayed in a picturesque fishing village. tree →
• The cottage by the river was picturesque. tree →
• The Cotswolds are full of picturesque villages. tree →
• The harbour looked picturesque at sunset. tree →
• Grandad has a picturesque way of telling stories. tree →
• The train ran through picturesque mountains. tree →
• The streets were rather irregular, it is true, but still this added to their picturesque appearance. tree →

Note

Spelling: picturesque ends in -esque (like "grotesque"). Pronounced "pik-chuh-RESK". Adjective only.