[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/contour/)

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# contour

noun (a contour, contours); adjective (contour lines); verb (contour, contours, contoured, contouring)

«contour» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A contour is the outline or shape of something, especially its curves, like the contour of a face or a coastline. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/contour/#m1)
2. On a map, a contour (contour line) is a line joining places that are the same height above sea level. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/contour/#m2)
3. (verb) To contour means to shape something to fit a curve, or (make-up) to use darker and lighter make-up to shape the face. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/contour/#m3)

### In the lessons

In geography lessons, contour lines on maps show hills and valleys: lines close together mean a steep slope, lines far apart mean gentle ground. In art lessons, contour drawing traces the outline of an object. Phrases: «contour lines», «contour map», «the contours of».

### Examples

- The contour lines are very close here, so the hill is steep. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/contour/#x1)
- Each contour on the map is 10 metres higher than the one below. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/contour/#x2)
- She traced the contour of the leaf with a pencil. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/contour/#x3)
- The car seat is contoured to fit your back. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/contour/#x4)
- We could see the contour of the mountains against the sunset. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/contour/#x5)
- A contour map shows the shape of the land. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/contour/#x6)
- In art we drew a contour drawing without lifting the pencil. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/contour/#x7)
- Hebe is represented as a comely, modest maiden, small, of a beautifully rounded contour, with nut-brown tresses and sparkling eyes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/contour/#x8)

### Note

Countable noun. Pronounced «KON-toor». In maths and map work, contour intervals tell the height difference between lines; count the lines and multiply by the interval to find a height difference.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «contour» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/contour/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«contour» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/contour.html) on Mova free.