Figure Means Shape, Number, Person and Diagram
A figure is a shape, a number or a person's form. One Latin word for shaping covers all of them.
A figure is a shape, a numeral, a diagram or a human form. Latin *figura* meant a shape or form, from *fingere*, to shape — the same verb behind *fiction*, which is something shaped by the mind, and *effigy*, a shaped likeness. The number sense came from the shapes of the digits themselves.
- A shape or diagram. *See figure three.*
- A number. *Sales figures.*
- A person's form. *A slim figure.*
- To calculate or conclude. *I figured as much.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | figure | A striking figure. |
| Plural | figures | Latest figures. |
| Verb | figure | Figure it out. |
| Adjective | figurative | Figurative language. |
| Related | fiction | Popular fiction. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The figures do not add up.Numbers.
- A figure of speech.Language shaped for effect.
- Go figure.American: work that out if you can.
Words from *fingere*, to shape
- Figure — a shape
- Fiction — something shaped by imagination
- Effigy — a shaped likeness
- Feign — to shape a false appearance
- Figment — something formed in the mind
From Latin *figura*, shape, from *fingere*, to form or mould — originally of shaping clay.
Are fiction and figure related?
Yes. Both come from Latin *fingere*, to shape. Fiction is something shaped rather than found.
What is a figure of speech?
An expression used in a non-literal way for effect, such as a metaphor, simile or hyperbole.