contourcon‧tour /ˈkɒntʊə $ ˈkɑːntʊr/ ●○○ noun [countable] 
Word Origin
the contours of the hills the contours of her face2 (also contour line) a line on a map that shows points that are of equal heights above sea level
Word OriginWORD ORIGINcontour
ExamplesOrigin:
1600-1700 French, Italian contorno, from contornare ‘to round off, draw’, from Latin com- ( ➔ COM-) + tornare ( ➔ TURN1)EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- A topographical map shows the contours of the earth's surface.
- An architect planned for a house that follows the contours of the hillside.
- The seat is adjustable to fit the contours of your back.
- He spreads such figures, with great care for the contour which is echoed by supple and delicate inner detail.
- I used clay - I put my palm in clay to get the natural contours of my hand.
- Man things were regular and patterned, and cut across the contours of the country and the flow of things.
- Maybe it is these that enable them to feel within their bodies the contours of the earth's magnetic forces.
- Science in this sense came to stand as a meta-discourse, framed by the broader contours of the conjuncture.
- Starting from my head, she smoothed the linen against my contours, asking for blessings from the protective spirits.
- Stripped to the waist, the contours of their musculature were faintly graven with decades-old surgical scars.
- The letters curved and dipped with the contours of his chest.
Longman Language Activatorthe shape of something or someone► shape
Collocations the shape that something is, for example a square, a circle etc: · You can get pasta in lots of different shapes.· What shape is the swimming pool?· The fruits are similar in shape and size to plums.· The desks form a U-shape, so that the teacher can interact easily with the students.· The pool was custom built, it is an unusual shape.· If a mole changes color or shape, see a doctor.
► form the shape of something - use this especially to talk about art or when the shape is not very clear: · Sleeping forms lay in groups and rows on the earth floor.· The painting consists of a series of interlocking forms.
► figure the shape of a person: · There were figures painted on the walls of the cave.· Dark figures emerged from the building, and disappeared into the night. figure of: · I saw the figure of a woman below the bridge.
► silhouette the dark shape of something or someone seen against a bright background: · The trees were silhouettes in the morning fog.silhouette of: · I saw the silhouette of someone waiting under the streetlight.
► profile the shape of someone's face when seen from the side: · an artist's sketch of McMillan's profile· He sat by the window, his handsome profile outlined against the sky.in profile: · They showed her a photo of a young brunette, taken in profile.
► outline a line around the edge of something that shows its shape: outline of: · The outline of a footprint was visible in the snow.· On the envelopes had been stamped the outlines of Santa Claus, holly, and a reindeer.
► contour the outer shape of something, that has a lot of curves, especially an area of land or a person's body: · The seat is adjustable to fit the contours of your back.· A topographical map shows the contours of the earth's surface.
► lines the outer shape of something long or tall, especially something that looks very graceful or attractive: · The dress's flowing lines are attractive on most women.lines of: · He noticed the long, slim lines of her legs beneath the colorful cotton skirt.
WORD SETS► Geographyabyss, nounalluvial, adjectivealluvium, nounalpine, adjectiveAmerican, adjectiveAntarctica, anticyclone, nounarchipelago, nounArctic, adjectivearid, adjectiveAsia, atlas, nounatoll, nounAustralasia, Australasian, adjectiveAustralia, avalanche, nounaxis, nounbank, nounbarometer, nounbarrier reef, nounbasin, nounbay, nounbayou, nounbeach, nounbearing, nounbed, nounbight, nounbluff, nounborder, nounborder, verbborderland, nounborderline, nounborough, nounbox canyon, nounBritish, adjectivebutte, nouncanyon, nouncape, nouncapital, nouncardinal point, nounCaribbean, adjectivecartography, nouncay, nounchain, nounchaparral, nounchart, nounchasm, nounchimney, nounChinese, adjectivecirrus, nounCIS, nouncliff, nounclimate, nounclimatic, adjectivecoastal, adjectivecoastline, nouncockney, nouncol, nouncold front, nouncommuter belt, nouncompass, nounconfluence, nouncontinent, nouncontinental, adjectivecontinental shelf, nouncontour, nounconurbation, nouncoordinate, nouncorridor, nouncorrie, nouncoterminous, adjectivecouncil estate, nouncountry, nouncounty, nouncounty town, nouncourse, nouncove, nouncrag, nouncraggy, adjectivecreek, nouncrevasse, nouncrevice, nouncumulus, nouncyclone, noundateline, noundelta, noundesert, noundesert island, noundevelopment, noundistrict, noundivide, noundown, adverbdune, noundust bowl, nouneast, nouneast, adjectiveeast, adverbeastbound, adjectiveeasterly, adjectiveeasterly, nouneastern, adjectiveEasterner, nouneasternmost, adjectiveeastwards, adverbelevation, nouneminence, nounenvirons, nounequatorial, adjectiveerode, verberosion, nounescarpment, nounestuary, nounEurope, nounextraterritorial, adjectiveeyot, nounface, nounfarmland, nounfeeder, nounfiord, nounfirth, nounfjord, nounflood plain, nounfluvial, adjectivefrontier, nounfrontiersman, noungale force, adjectivegap, noungeo-, prefixgeography, noungeophysics, noungeopolitics, noungeyser, nounglacial, adjectiveglaciation, nounglacier, nounglobe, noungoldfield, noungorge, noungrassland, nounGrecian, adjectivegreen belt, noungrid, noungrotto, noungroundwater, noungulch, noungulf, noungully, nounhead, nounheadland, nounheadwaters, nounheartland, nounhemisphere, nounhighland, adjectivehighlands, nounhigh water mark, nounhinterland, nounHome Counties, the, homeland, nounhurricane, noun-i, suffixIberian, adjectiveiceberg, nounice cap, nounice floe, nounice pack, nounice sheet, nouninhabitant, nouninland, adjectiveinland, adverbinlet, nouninner city, nouninshore, adverbinsular, adjectiveintercontinental, adjectiveInternational Date Line, nounisland, nounisle, nounislet, nounisobar, nounIsraeli, adjectiveIsraeli, nounisthmus, nounItalian, adjectiveItalianate, adjectiveItalo-, prefixJapanese, adjectivekey, nounknoll, nounlagoon, nounlake, nounlandlocked, adjectivelandmass, nounlandslide, nounlandslip, nounlat., Latin, adjectiveLatin America, nounLatin American, adjectivelatitude, nounlevee, nounlittoral, nounlong., longitude, nounlongitudinal, adjectivelough, nounlowlands, nounlow-lying, adjectivelow water mark, nounmagnetic north, nounmagnetic pole, nounmarsh, nounmarshland, nounmeander, verbMediterranean, adjectiveMercator projection, nounmeridian, nounmesa, nounMiddle America, nounmidtown, adjectivemonsoon, nounmoorland, nounmorass, nounmountain, nounmountainside, nounmountaintop, nounmouth, nounmudslide, nounmull, nounnarrows, nounnavigation, nounNE, neck, nounnor'-, prefixnorth, nounnorth, adjectivenorth, adverbNorth America, nounnortheast, nounnortheast, adjectivenortheasterly, adjectivenortheastern, adjectivenortheastwards, adverbnortherly, adjectivenorthern, adjectivenortherner, nounnorthernmost, adjectivenorthwards, adverbnorthwest, nounnorthwest, adjectivenorthwesterly, adjectivenorthwestern, adjectivenorthwestwards, adverbnotch, nounNW, NZ, oasis, nounoccidental, nounocean, nounonshore, adjectiveopenness, nounOrdnance Survey map, nounoriental, adjectiveoutcrop, nounoverspill, nounpack ice, nounpaddy, nounpalisade, nounpan-, prefixpanhandle, nounparallel, nounpeak, nounpeninsula, nounPersian, adjectivephysical geography, nounplain, nounplateau, nounpoint, nounpolar, adjectivepole, nounpolitical geography, nounpollutant, nounpop., populate, verbpopulation, nounprairie, nounprecipice, nounprecipitation, nounPrime Meridian, principality, nounprojection, nounpromontory, nounprovince, nounprovincial, adjectivepueblo, nounR, rainfall, nounrain forest, nounrain gauge, nounrainstorm, nounrange, nounravine, nounreef, nounreference, nounregion, nounregional, adjectiverelief map, nounreservoir, nounresettle, verbresidential, adjectiveresource, nounridge, nounrift valley, nounrise, verbriver, nounriver basin, nounriver bed, nounRoman, adjectiverotation, nounrugged, adjectiverun-off, nounrural, adjectivesand, nounsand bar, nounsandstorm, nounsandy, adjectivesavanna, nounScandinavian, nounscar, nounscarp, nounscree, nounscrubland, nounSE, seaboard, nounsea breeze, nounseafront, nounsea level, nounseaport, nounseaward, adjectivesection, nounsemitropical, adjectiveshelf, nounslough, nounsmog, nounsnowfield, nounsource, nounsouth, nounsouth, adjectivesouth, adverbSouth America, adjectivesoutheast, nounsoutheast, adjectivesoutheasterly, adjectivesoutheastern, adjectivesoutheastwards, adverbsoutherly, adjectivesouthern, adjectivesouthernmost, adjectivesouthwards, adverbsouthwest, nounsouthwest, adjectivesouthwesterly, adjectivesouthwestern, adjectivesouthwestwards, adverbspeleology, nounspit, nounspur, nounstrait, nounsubcontinent, nounsubtropical, adjectivesuburb, nounsuburban, adjectivesummit, nounsurvey, nounsurvey, verbSW, swamp, nountableland, nounterrain, nounterritory, nountidal, adjectivetidal wave, nountidewater, nountime zone, nountop, nountopography, nountor, nountornado, nountown, nountown centre, nountowpath, nountrack, nountract, nountrade route, nountrail, nountransatlantic, adjectivetranscontinental, adjectivetributary, nountropic, nountropical, adjectivetundra, nountyphoon, nounUK, the, uncharted, adjectiveup, adverbup-country, adjectiveuplands, nounupper, adjectiveupriver, adverbupstate, adjectiveupstream, adverbuptown, adverburban, adjectiveurbanized, adjectiveurban renewal, nounurban sprawl, nounUS, the, adjectivevalley, nounW, warm front, nounwaste, adjectivewasteland, nounwater, verbwatercourse, nounwaterfall, nounwaterfront, nounwaterhole, nounwatering place, nounwater meadow, nounwatershed, nounwater table, nounwaterway, nounweather vane, nounwest, nounwest, adjectiveWest, nounwestern, adjectiveWesterner, nounwesternmost, adjectivewestward, adverbwilderness, nounwolds, nounzoning, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES► the contours on a map
1the shape of the outer edges of something such as an area of land or someone’s body: (=the lines on a map showing the height of mountains and valleys)· Contours on the map are given in feet.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN► line· Another map showed contour lines, the positions of a few prominent objects and the heights of one or two locations.· Each contour line connects the points on the surface of the building where the wind pressure is equal.· Quite apart from the major wetlands, every valley bottom below a certain contour line must have been soggy and at times impassable.· Topographic maps represent differences in elevation or height by means of contour lines and help relate ancient structures to the surrounding landscape.
► lines· Another map showed contour lines, the positions of a few prominent objects and the heights of one or two locations.· Topographic maps represent differences in elevation or height by means of contour lines and help relate ancient structures to the surrounding landscape.
► map· The sections produced can then be transformed into a contour map of the subsurface features.· Tasks based on road, town, London tube and contour maps proved to have a wide range of success rates.· Repeated scans of the surface produced this contour map of the silicon.
VERB► follow· The characteristic feature of Brindley's canals was their winding routes, following contours as far as possible without involving major earthworks.
the contours of the hills the contours of her face2 (also contour line) a line on a map that shows points that are of equal heights above sea level