vignette.

1. A short scene or description that gives a vivid impression of a person, place, or moment.

2. A small decorative picture, often with edges that fade into the surrounding page or background.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• literary vignette
• a series of vignettes

On the page

The novel opens with a vignette of the harbour at dawn.

Usage notes

Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: Singular vignette; plural vignettes. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Commonness: moderately common.