Origin: Latin suffix -ure
Figure has 20 different meanings across 2 categories:
alternative names for the body of a human being
"Leonardo studied the human body"
"he has a strong physique"
"the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak"
a well-known or notable person
"they studied all the great names in the history of France"
"she is an important figure in modern music"
a combination of points and lines and planes that form a visible palpable shape
"The artist carefully arranged charcoal to create a dark figure against the pale wall, making the shadow seem almost three-dimensional."
language used in a figurative or nonliteral sense
"When the poet says that time is a thief, she is not literally describing someone stealing seconds but using figure to convey how quickly our youth disappears."
a unitary percept having structure and coherence that is the object of attention and that stands out against a ground
"The dark silhouette of the wolf standing against the moonlit snow instantly became the focal figure in her painting."
a predetermined set of movements in dancing or skating
"she made the best score on compulsory figures"
A drawing or diagram conveying information.
"The engineer pointed to the circuit figure on the blueprint to explain how the power flows through the system."
In plain English: A figure is a shape made of lines and curves that you can see or draw.
"I cannot figure out how to solve this math problem without help."
Usage: Use "figure" when referring to a visual representation like a graph, chart, or schematic that illustrates data or explains a concept. Avoid using it for abstract ideas unless you are specifically describing how those ideas are visually depicted.
To calculate, to solve a mathematical problem.
"I couldn't figure out how many cookies are left after everyone took some without counting them all again."
In plain English: To figure something out means to solve a problem or understand how it works.
"I need to figure out how much the project will cost."
Usage: Use "figure" as a verb when you mean to calculate or solve a math problem, such as figuring out how much tax you owe. Avoid using it for estimating or guessing unless the calculation involves mental arithmetic rather than precise computation.
The word figure comes from the Latin figūra, meaning "form" or "shape," which was borrowed into Middle English via Old French. Its ultimate origin is a Proto-Indo-European root related to molding and kneading, sharing distant relatives with words like Greek for wall and Old English for dough.