What does vignette mean?
Word: Vignette
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Vignette means a short, vivid piece of writing or film that shows one moment or scene.
Synonyms: sketch, scene
Word origin: Comes from French, from vigne.
How do you spell vignette?
Syllables: vi - gnette
Tricky part: The ny sound in the middle is spelt gn, the French way, so pupils who go by ear write it with n and y.
Watch out for: vinyette, vinette
Memory tip: Treat the g as a French guest: it makes no sound of its own, yet it must have a seat in the word.
Vignette in a sentence
Example 1: The book ends with a warm vignette of the author's grandmother rolling papads.
Example 2: The documentary opens with a vignette of fishermen at sunrise.
Example 3: Each chapter starts with a vignette from the writer's school days.
Fun Fact
Photographers use the word too: a vignette is a photo whose edges fade or darken, and many phone camera apps offer it as a filter.
Practise the CREST Way
Spellacadabra
Choose the correct option to make a meaningful word:
vigne__e
a) st
b) dd
c) th
d) tt
Show answer
d) tt. Words from French that end this way keep the double letter, as in omelette and palette.
Sound Check
In which word is 'gn' pronounced differently?
a) poignant
b) vignette
c) signature
d) lasagne
Show answer
c) signature. In signature you hear a g and then an n; the others run the letters into a ny sound.
Back to the Roots
Choose the correct option:
Vignette comes from the French word vigne. What did vigne mean?
a) flower
b) vine
c) page
d) window
Show answer
b) vine. Early printers decorated books with small drawings of vine leaves, and the name stayed.
Spell Probe
One word in the sentence is misspelt. Choose the meaning of that word:
Each vignette in the collection captures village life in South India with gentle humer and a sharp eye for detail.
a) the quality of making people laugh
b) a small settlement in the country
c) a brief, finely drawn scene
d) one small fact or feature
Show answer
a) the quality of making people laugh. The misspelt word is humour.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these would make a good vignette in a travel book?
a) a page on one morning at a tea stall
b) a complete list of train timetables
c) a map of every state in India
d) a full history of Indian railways
Show answer
a) a page on one morning at a tea stall
2. A film opens with a vignette of daily life in Kochi. How long is it likely to be?
a) a few moments
b) the full second half
c) exactly one hour
d) most of the film
Show answer
a) a few moments
