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Agency Dictionary

sketch

nounPronunciation: /sketʃ/

In Portuguese: esboço

What does “sketch” mean?

A rapid, informal drawing or preliminary outline capturing the essential features of an idea.

Etymology

From Dutch schets or German Skizze, from Italian schizzo, from Latin schedium (an extempore poem), from Ancient Greek schedios (made suddenly, off-hand), from schedon (near) and echein (to have, hold). The Modern Greek noun schédio (plan, design) continues the same Greek word.

Usage note

In design and art a sketch is a quick preliminary drawing; the word also names a short comic scene in a show.

Synonyms

  • draft
  • outline
  • drawing

Word family

  • sketchy
  • sketchbook
  • sketchpad

Rhymes with

  • etch
  • fetch
  • retch
  • stretch
  • wretch

Usage examples

  • industrial designers develop concepts, generating numerous ideas and sketches to explore various design directions.

    Design.3 - The Disciplines of Design
  • As a verb (“to design”), meanings include “to concoct something,” “to simulate,” “to draft,” “to sketch,” “to fashion,” and ‘to have designs on something.”

Concepts

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

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Cite this entry

“sketch”. Agency Wiki, Agency Brasil. Published on November 11, 2026. https://www.agencybrasil.com/en/wiki/dictionary/sketch