imagery

noun

im·​ag·​ery ˈi-mij-rē How to pronounce imagery (audio)
-mi-jə-
plural imageries
1
a
: pictures produced by an imaging system
b
: the product of image makers : images
also : the art of making images
2
: figurative language
3
: mental images
especially : the products of imagination

Examples of imagery in a Sentence

The book contains a great deal of sexual imagery. The movie was full of biblical imagery.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The rest of Severance was a chilly riot, an alienating collage of surreal imagery (goats!), puzzle-box mysteries, buffoonish characters, and tensely familiar workplace dynamics. Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 17 Jan. 2025 That album introduced songs with stream-of-consciousness lyrics featuring surreal imagery, and on many of the songs Dylan performed with the accompaniment of a rock band. The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 16 Jan. 2025 What To Know In court documents obtained by Newsweek, Drake asserts that the lyrics and imagery in the accompanying music video were defamatory and that UMG was fully aware of their potential harm. Michael D. Carroll and Erin Keller, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025 Instead, imagery showed that some buildings continued to sink at 0.8 to 3 inches between 2016 and 2023. Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 14 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for imagery 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ymagerie "images portrayed in sculpture, painting, etc.," borrowed from Anglo-French, from ymage, image image entry 1 + -erie -ery

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of imagery was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near imagery

Cite this Entry

“Imagery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imagery. Accessed 24 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

imagery

noun
im·​ag·​ery ˈim-ij-(ə-)rē How to pronounce imagery (audio)
plural imageries
1
: images that can be seen or that are imagined
2
: language that suggests how someone or something looks, sounds, feels, smells, or tastes

Medical Definition

imagery

noun
im·​ag·​ery ˈim-ij-(ə-)rē How to pronounce imagery (audio)
plural imageries
: mental images
eidetic imagery
especially : the products of imagination
psychotic imagery

More from Merriam-Webster on imagery

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!