statue

statue — noun

1. a large work of art, carved or shaped from stone, metal, wood, or another hard m

1.nounB1
Definition

a large work of art, carved or shaped from stone, metal, wood, or another hard material, that shows a person, an animal, or an imaginary creature

Example

A tall stone statue of a soldier stands in the middle of the town square.

collocation: stone statue / bronze statue

Mert took a photo of the bronze statue of a dancer while visiting the museum.

pattern: statue of [person/animal]

Synonyms
  • sculpture

    a broader term that includes statues, abstract forms, and relief carvings

  • figure

    less specific; can also mean a drawing, diagram, or human shape

  • bust

    a statue of just the head, shoulders, and upper chest

  • effigy

    a statue of a disliked person, often used in protests or burned in public

Usage Note

Countable noun. A statue is usually life-size or larger and stands freely. Smaller decorative carvings are called figurines or statuettes.

Common Mistakes

The government passed a new statue.
The government passed a new statute.
'Statue' (a carved figure) and 'statute' (a written law) sound similar but have very different meanings.

Word family

  • statuette
    nounC1
  • statuary
    nounC2
  • statuesque
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While all these words describe three-dimensional artworks, they differ in size and purpose. Statue is the most common term for a large, free-standing human or animal figure carved from hard material. Sculpture is the broadest term, covering any carved or modelled art form including abstract works. A bust is specifically a statue showing only the upper part of a person. Figurine describes a small decorative figure, usually under 30 cm tall. Effigy carries a negative tone, often referring to a crude figure of a hated person made for burning or hanging. For example, tourists photograph the statue of a famous writer in the park, while collectors display a porcelain figurine of a cat on a shelf.

sculpture ↗figurinebust ↗effigy

Common collocations

Nouns

  • bronze statue
  • stone statue
  • marble statue
  • wooden statue
  • life-size statue

Phrases

  • erect a statue
  • unveil a statue
  • statue of liberty

Prepositions

  • statue of
  • statue in

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word comes from Latin statua, meaning 'standing figure,' linked to the verb statuere ('to set up' or 'to cause to stand'). It passed into English through Old French, keeping its core idea of something set upright as a lasting image.