CultureAugust 24, 2026

vignettes

vin-YETS

Definition

Short, descriptive literary sketches or brief, evocative scenes that provide insight into character or atmosphere.

Etymology

The word comes from the French word 'vignette,' which is a diminutive of 'vigne' (vine), originally referring to small decorative designs of vine leaves or tendrils used to adorn the margins or title pages of books.

In the news

The article mentions that Jane Austen began her writing career at a young age by composing short stories and vignettes. These serve as examples of her early creative experimentation before moving into full-length novels.

Seeing People Clearly: Lessons from Jane Austen

Read the full article ↗

The Objective Standard

Related words

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.