visual
/ˈvɪʒ.u.əl/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Relating to seeing or to the eyes. It describes things you can see, or things made to be seen clearly.
- The report includes a visual chart.
- She has a strong visual memory.
- The museum has many visual displays.
noun
A picture, chart, film image, or other thing that shows information through sight.
- The teacher used a visual to explain the lesson.
- The ad relied on strong visuals.
- Add a visual to your presentation.
Adinary Nuance
Visual is about sight, not words or sound. Use it when something is seen, shown, or understood through images, charts, or diagrams. It is often more formal than 'picture' and more specific than 'clear'.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- thuộc thị giác
- Spanish
- visual
- Chinese
- 视觉的
- Japanese
- 視覚の
- Korean
- 시각의
Etymology
Visual comes from Latin visus, meaning 'sight'. It entered English in the 17th century through French and Latin.
Common phrases
visual aidvisual effectvisual imagevisual representation
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is visual the same as visible?
- No. Visual means about sight or images. Visible means able to be seen.
- Can I use visual as a noun?
- Yes. It can mean a picture, chart, or image used to show information.
- Is visual formal or informal?
- It is common in academic, business, and media writing. It sounds more formal than everyday words like 'picture'.