The representation of any form, as by drawing, painting, modeling, carving, embroidering, etc.; especially, a representation of the human body; as, a figure in bronze; a figure cut in marble.

Distinguished appearance; magnificence; conspicuous representation; splendor; show.

To make a figure; to be distinguished or conspicious; as, the envoy figured at court.

a much less exact representation or statement of matters than a type

usually referring to a representation of the human body though sometimes also that of an animal or other thing.

A representation of a human or an animal form.

A figure in writing and publishing is any graphic, text, table or other representation that is unaligned from the main flow of text. Figures are commonly found in scientific and non-scientific articles, but also in books. Some books will have a table of figures—in addition to the table of contents—that lists centrally all the figures appearing in the work.