vignette

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
vignette /viːˈnjɛt, vɪ-/

▶noun

• 1 a brief evocative account or description.

• 2 a small illustration or portrait photograph which fades into its background without a definite border.

• 3 a small ornamental design in a book or carving, typically based on foliage.

▶verb portray in the style of a vignette.

■ produce (a photograph) with softened or fading edges.

– derivatives
vignettist noun.

– origin ME (also denoting a carved representation of a vine): from Fr., dimin. of vigne ‘vine’.