To shape or mold something into a particular form or image, often used in artistic or sculptural contexts.
From Latin 'effigurare' (ex- 'out' + figurare 'to shape'), derived from figura meaning 'form' or 'shape.' The word evolved to mean creating a representation or likeness of something.
This rare word appears in Renaissance art criticism to describe how sculptors 'effigirate' marble into human forms—it's the technical term for what Michelangelo did when carving David, though modern artists rarely use it anymore.
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