{ , a. [ L. graphicus, Gr. grafiko`s, fr. gra`fein to write; cf. F. graphique. See Graft. ] 1. Of or pertaining to the arts of painting and drawing; of or pertaining to graphics; as, graphic art work. [ wns=2 ] [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ] 2. Of or pertaining to the art of writing. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. Written or engraved; formed of letters or lines. [ 1913 Webster ] The finger of God hath left an inscription upon all his works, not graphical, or composed of letters. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ] 4. Having the faculty of clear, detailed, and impressive description; as, a graphic writer. [ 1913 Webster ] 5. Well delineated; clearly and vividly described; characterized by, clear, detailed, and impressive description; vivid; evoking lifelike images within the mind; as graphic details of the President's sexual misbehavior; a graphic description of the accident; graphic images of violence. [ wns=5 ] Syn. -- lifelike, pictorial, vivid. [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ] 6. Hence: describing nudity or sexual activity in explicit detail; as, a novel with graphic sex scenes. [ WordNet 1.5 ] 7. relating to or presented by a graph{ 2 }; as, a graphic presentation of the data. [ wns=3 ] Syn. -- graphical. [ WordNet 1.5 ] Graphic algebra, a branch of algebra in which, the properties of equations are treated by the use of curves and straight lines. -- Graphic arts, a name given to those fine arts which pertain to the representation on a fiat surface of natural objects; as distinguished from music, etc., and also from sculpture. -- Graphic formula. (Chem.) See under Formula. -- Graphic granite. See under Granite. -- Graphic method, the method of scientific analysis or investigation, in which the relations or laws involved in tabular numbers are represented to the eye by means of curves or other figures; as the daily changes of weather by means of curves, the abscissas of which represent the hours of the day, and the ordinates the corresponding degrees of temperature. -- Graphical statics (Math.), a branch of statics, in which the magnitude, direction, and position of forces are represented by straight lines -- Graphic tellurium. See Sylvanite. [ 1913 Webster ] Variants: Graphic |