pen picture

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pen picture

/ˈpɛn ˌpɪk(t)ʃə/ UK
/ˈpɛn ˌpɪk(t)ʃəɹ/ UK

Where it comes from

From pen + picture.

noun pen pictures · pen-picture

idiomatic A written description, often biographical. Mr. [Timothy Shay] Arthur has been, and is, a close observer, and in his pictures of domestic life, his groups include all the necessary characters, while the back ground and filling up take in all the accessories and incidentals, which, skilfully managed, give a pen-picture its vraisemblance.
Similar: pen portrait, sketch
archaic, idiomatic A picture drawn with a pen.
Similar: pen portrait

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MLA

"pen picture." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/pen%20picture. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

pen picture. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/pen%20picture

Chicago

"pen picture." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/pen%20picture.

BibTeX

@misc{pen_picture_2026,
  title = {pen picture},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/pen%20picture},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}