rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryfigurineSmall decorative statue
noun

figurine

fig-yuh-REEN/ˌfɪɡjəˈriːn/

A small decorative statue of a person, animal, or character.

The rabbit figurine is small beside the house key.

A small glazed ceramic rabbit figurine on a plain shelf, with an unmarked house key beside it to make its miniature decorative scale clear.
Etymology
figurItalianshape, figure
+ineItaliansmall

The diminutive makes a figurine a 'little figure.' Here, figure means a represented body, so the smallness belongs to a miniature sculpted likeness.

In context

josh holmes37:31
we did find a very interesting little figurine a seated woman with her hair braided down her back
Field Marshal Erwin Rommels Lost Sunken Treasure (The Desert Fox Gold) (DOCUMENTARY)

More examples

  • The figurine depicted a dancing child.
  • She collected animal figurines.
  • He repaired the figurine’s broken base.

Forms

figurine · figurines

Similar words

statue
Statue is the broader category; a figurine is small and usually decorative.
miniature
A miniature is any small representation; a figurine specifically represents a person, animal, or character in three dimensions.