Gezeichnet

Gezeichnet is a German term formed from the verb zeichnen, meaning to draw, to mark, or to sign. The word functioning as a past participle and as an adjective can describe both drawn images and figurative states, depending on context.

In art and illustration, gezeichnet refers to works produced by drawing rather than painting or photography. Phrases like ein gezeichnetes Porträt or eine gezeichnete Skizze describe drawings made with pencil, pen, charcoal, or similar media. The term is common in catalogs, exhibitions, and discussions that distinguish drawing from other media.

Figuratively, gezeichnet can describe a person or appearance that bears the marks of experience or hardship. A gezeichnete Person or someone wirkt gezeichnet conveys the sense of being worn, scarred, or deeply affected by events.

As a past participle used in tenses, gezeichnet can denote that a drawing or signature has been completed. In legal or formal usage, the more common verb for signing a document is unterzeichnen, but gezeichnet may appear in older or formal registers: Der Vertrag ist gezeichnet or Der Vertrag wurde gezeichnet.

Grammatically, gezeichnet functions as both a predicative adjective (Der Mann ist gezeichnet) and an attributive modifier (ein gezeichnetes Porträt).

See also: Zeichnung, Skizze, Zeichnen, Unterzeichnen, Unterschrift.