contour

noun [C]

/ˈkɒn.tɔːr/

/ˈkɑːn.tʊr/

Definition

› the shape of a mass of land or other object, especially its surface or the shape formed by its outer edge: the rugged contour of the coast He studied the contours of her face. Her latest collection of swimwear shows off the contours of the human body to perfection.Patterns and shapes › (also contour line) specialized a line on a map that joins points of equal height or depth, in a way that shows high and low areas of land: a 400 ft contour line This map has contours marked at 250-metre intervals.Maps and map-making

(Definition of contour noun from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)