statues

IPA/ˈstætʃ.uː/
KK[stˈætʃˌuz]IPA/ˈstætʃ.uː/

statues — noun

  • statuessingular
  • statuesesplural

1. a figure shaped from stone, metal, wood, or another hard material that looks lik

1.nounA2
Definition

a figure shaped from stone, metal, wood, or another hard material that looks like a person, an animal, or an imaginary creature, and is placed in a public space, a park, or a museum so that people can see it.

Example

A bronze statue of a local hero on a horse stands in the park.

statue of [person] + material (bronze)

Jisoo took a photograph of the marble statue in front of the old museum.

statue of + in front of [location]

Common collocations
  • bronze statue
  • marble statue
  • stone statue
  • wooden statue
  • statue of someone
  • erect a statue
  • unveil a statue
  • life-size statue
Synonyms
  • sculpture

    a broader term that includes statues as well as abstract or non-figurative works made by carving or modelling

  • figure

    a more general word for a shape representing a person or animal, not always made of hard material or free-standing

  • effigy

    a sculpture of a specific person, often life-sized and used for ceremonial or memorial purposes; less common in everyday speech

Grammar Patterns

statue + of + person/animal

Usage Note

Often used with a material word (stone, marble, bronze, wooden) to describe what the statue is made of, and with 'of' to name the person or animal it represents.

Common Mistakes

I saw a statue of the statue of Liberty.
I saw the Statue of Liberty.
'Statue of Liberty' is a proper name and does not need a second 'statue of' before it.
There is a statue of a king from bronze.
There is a bronze statue of a king.
The material comes before 'statue', not after it with 'from'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to a three-dimensional representation, but they differ in scope and use. 'Statue' is the most specific: it always means a free-standing image of a person, animal, or mythical being, usually life-size or larger and displayed in a public place. 'Sculpture' is the broadest term — it covers statues but also includes abstract, non-representational, or relief works. 'Figure' is a general word for any human or animal form, whether a statue, a drawing, a doll, or a diagram. 'Effigy' is narrower: a deliberate likeness of a specific person, often used for political protest (burning an effigy) or on a tomb. 'Carving' focuses on the technique: it can be a statue or a decorative panel. For everyday use, 'statue' is the best word for a large public monument; 'sculpture' is better when talking about modern art or a collection in a gallery.

sculpture ↗figure ↗effigy ↗carving ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • erect a statue
  • unveil a statue
  • statue of liberty

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'statue' comes from Latin 'statua', meaning 'an image or a standing figure', from the verb 'stare' (to stand). It entered English through Old French in the 1300s. The idea of something that stands upright is still at the core of the modern meaning — a statue is always a standing or positioned figure, not a flat image.

First known use

14th century

14th century, in the meaning defined above