contour
UK[ˈkɒntʊə]US[ˈkɑːntʊr]
n
The outer shape or edge of something, especially when its surface is smooth or its form is curved.
n
A line on a map joining points of equal height above or below sea level.
Morpheme Breakdown
con
tour
con
together, with
tour
to turn on a lathe, to round off
Etymology
The word 'contour' entered English in the mid-17th century from French, specifically from the Italian 'contornare', meaning 'to draw in outline'. This Italian verb is built from the Latin prefix 'com-' (intensive or together) and 'tornare' (to turn). The core logic stems from the lathe, a tool for shaping rounded objects. Thus, the original sense was 'to turn or shape a rounded form together', which evolved to mean the defining outline or shape of an object, especially one with smooth, curved boundaries. This concept was later applied in cartography to lines that 'turn' back on themselves, connecting points of equal elevation.
Analysis
Structure: con + tour
con: Latin origin, a variant of 'com-' meaning 'together, with'.
tour: Latin origin, from 'tornare' meaning 'to turn on a lathe, to round off'.
Examples
The artist carefully sketched the contour of the model's face.
The hiking trail follows the 500-meter contour along the mountainside.
The sleek contours of the new sports car are designed for aerodynamic efficiency.