Figuratív

Figuratív is an adjective used in several languages to describe something that represents real-world subjects in a recognizable form. It is applied in two related senses: in visual arts and in language.

In visual arts, figurative art depicts people, objects, or scenes with identifiable forms, as opposed to abstract or non-representational art. This includes portraiture, genre scenes, and landscapes with recognizable features. While historical priorities often favored exact likeness, contemporary figurative practice can employ exaggeration, distortion, or symbolic elements while retaining recognizability.

In linguistics and rhetoric, figurative language uses non-literal meaning to convey ideas. Figures of speech include metaphor, simile, metonymy, personification, hyperbole, and irony. Figurative language relies on shared cultural conventions to convey extra meaning beyond the literal interpretation.

Historically, figuration has played a central role in many art movements, from classical realism to modern and contemporary approaches. In language, figurative expression is pervasive across genres and registers. The exact nuance of figuratív can vary by language and scholarly tradition, but it generally denotes representation that goes beyond strict literalism, whether in visual depiction or in linguistic meaning.