image

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, short for imagene, from Latin imagin-, imago; perhaps akin to Latin imitari to imitate Date: 13th century 1. a reproduction or imitation of the form of a person or thing; especially an imitation in solid form ; statue 2. a. the optical counterpart of an object produced by an optical device (as a lens or mirror) or an electronic device b. a visual representation of something: as (1) a likeness of an object produced on a photographic material (2) a picture produced on an electronic display (as a television or computer screen) 3. a. exact likeness ; semblance <

God created man in his own image — Genesis 1:27 (Revised Standard Version)

> b. a person strikingly like another person <

she is the image of her mother

> 4. a. a tangible or visible representation ; incarnation <

the image of filial devotion

> b. archaic an illusory form ; apparition 5. a. (1) a mental picture or impression of something <

had a negative body image of herself

> (2) a mental conception held in common by members of a group and symbolic of a basic attitude and orientation <

a disorderly courtroom can seriously tarnish a community's image of justice — Herbert Brownell

> b. idea, concept 6. a vivid or graphic representation or description 7. figure of speech 8. a popular conception (as of a person, institution, or nation) projected especially through the mass media <

promoting a corporate image of brotherly love and concern — R. C. Buck

> 9. a set of values given by a mathematical function (as a homomorphism) that corresponds to a particular subset of the domain II. transitive verb (imaged; imaging) Date: 14th century 1. to call up a mental picture of ; imagine 2. to describe or portray in language especially in a vivid manner 3. a. to create a representation of; also to form an image of <

imaged Jupiter's rings

> <

image the bone using X rays

> b. to represent symbolically 4. a. reflect, mirror b. to make appear ; project • imager noun