vanishing point — A point at which something disappears or becomes invisible; in art, the point at which parallel lines appear to meet in the distance
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: A point at which something disappears or becomes invisible; in art, the point at which parallel lines appear to meet in the distance
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈvænɪʃɪŋ pɔɪnt/
Example Sentences
- My patience for Monday meetings has reached its vanishing point.
- Art students struggle to master the vanishing point technique in their drawings.
- His chances of winning the lottery are approaching the vanishing point.
vanishing point
NOUN[/ˈvænɪʃɪŋ pɔɪnt/]
A point at which something disappears or becomes invisible; in art, the point at which parallel lines appear to meet in the distance
A point at which something disappears or becomes invisible; in art, the point at which parallel lines appear to meet in the distance
The tracks are diminishing as the painting is finishing.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The term derives from Middle French 'vanir' (to disappear), combined with the noun 'point'. It became established as an art-historical term during the Renaissance with the development of linear perspective, denoting the point where parallel lines converge and appear to vanish in a drawing or painting.
Breakdown
vanish (from Old French vanir, meaning to disappear) + -ing (present participle suffix) + point (from Latin punctum, a dot or spot). The compound describes a geometric point where receding parallel lines appear to converge visually.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My patience for Monday meetings has reached its vanishing point.”
“Art students struggle to master the vanishing point technique in their drawings.”
“His chances of winning the lottery are approaching the vanishing point.”
“The railway tracks seemed to converge at a single vanishing point in the distance.”
📚Related Words
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