en English es español fr française it italiano de deutsche ja 日本語 pl polski cs česky sv svenska tr Türkçe nl Nederlands

Explaining "A picture is worth a thousand words"

Reviewed and edited by Lloyd Cooper 30/09/2024, 14:27
English.me team member

What does it mean?

A picture is worth a thousand words

The phrase means that a single image can convey complex ideas and emotions more effectively than a large amount of words can.

Tone

Informative

Origin

The phrase is believed to have originated from an article in the advertising trade journal "Printer's Ink" in the early 20th century, attributed to Fred R. Barnard. It was used to promote the use of images in advertisements to convey messages more powerfully.

Examples of usage

  • A single photograph from the event was published, and it truly was worth a thousand words.
  • When he couldn't describe the scene with words, he simply showed her a picture, acknowledging that a picture is worth a thousand words.
  • While describing the architecture was difficult, one look at the picture demonstrated why a picture is worth a thousand words.

Recommended posts in Phrases

Never speak ill of the dead

Never speak ill of the dead

The phrase "Never speak ill of the dead" suggests that ... Learn more →

All roads lead to Rome

All roads lead to Rome

The phrase means that there are many different methods or ... Learn more →

Give credit where credit is due

Give credit where credit is due

The phrase "Give credit where credit is due" means to ... Learn more →

Less is more

Less is more

The phrase "Less is more" suggests that simplicity and minimalism ... Learn more →