imagery
IM-ij-ree
/ˈm.ɪ.dʒər.i/
Visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work.
While often associated only with sight, true literary imagery appeals to all five senses: visual (sight), auditory (sound), olfactory (smell), gustatory (taste), and tactile (touch).
The story behind the word. Derived from the Latin 'imago', meaning an imitation, copy, or likeness. In ancient Rome, 'imagines' were wax ancestral masks kept in the family home, serving as vivid, physical reminders of those who had passed away.
Word relationships
- word-painting: Word-painting is a more colloquial, artistic term for imagery, often emphasizing visual beauty over other senses.
- representation: Representation is a broad term for showing something, whereas imagery specifically implies sensory-rich description.
- abstraction: Abstraction refers to ideas or concepts that cannot be perceived by the senses, the polar opposite of sensory imagery.
Commonly confused with
- symbolism: Imagery is sensory description that paints a picture; symbolism is when an object represents an abstract idea beyond its literal meaning.
Word family
- image (noun): A physical likeness or mental representation.
- imagine (verb): To form a mental image or concept of.
Collocations
- vivid imagery
- sensory imagery
- poetic imagery
- stark imagery
Example sentences
- "The author's vivid imagery of the damp, salt-crusted docks made me feel as if I were standing in the cold fog." Reviewing a sensory-rich novel
- "Keats is celebrated for his rich sensory imagery, which appeals to taste and touch as much as sight." Analyzing poetry
Memory hook
Imagine the 'image' in 'imagery' coming alive with sounds, smells, and textures, not just a flat picture. Imagery is an image for your mind's eye.
When not to use
Do not use imagery to refer to literal physical pictures or illustrations in a book; it refers to the mental pictures painted by the words themselves.
Fun facts
- Psychologists use the term 'guided imagery' as a clinical relaxation technique, proving that literary descriptions have a measurable physical effect on our nervous systems.
Related words
Also appears in
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