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An earlier sense of effigy is "a likeness of a person shaped out of stone or other materials," so it's not surprising to learn that effigy derives, by way of Middle French, from the Latin effigies, which, in turn, comes from the verb effingere ("to form"), a combination of the prefix ex- and fingere, which means "to shape." Fingere is the common ancestor of a number of other English nouns that name things you can shape. A fiction is a story you shape with your imagination. Figments are shaped by the imagination, too; they're something you imagine or make up. A figure can be a numeral, a shape, or a picture that you shape as you draw or write.
Examples of effigy in a Sentence
Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 20 Nov. 2024
There are no tactical vests or American flag bandanas to be seen, nor are there any tri-corner hats or effigies or black and yellow militia uniforms.
—Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2024
The mystery of the Phoenix statue of former President Donald Trump thickened on Friday, just a day after the naked effigy appeared on site.
—Helen Rummel, The Arizona Republic, 4 Oct. 2024
In fact, there is only one effigy burn, because of the arid, brushy conditions.
—Alden Wicker, WIRED, 17 Sep. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Effigy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/effigy. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.
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effigy
noun
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