Statue, Stature, Statute
Look under the pigeons and you might find a bronze statue in a park, but there's probably a statute, or law, about how big it can be.
A statue is a figure of a person, animal, or object that is carved or cast from some material, such as marble or iron. A statue is usually life-sized or larger. (If it's smaller than the real-life original, it's a statuette or a figurine). Here are some examples of statue in the headlines:
Stature can refer to a person's height or the high level of respect with which she is regarded. Your grandmother might be small in stature, or height, but have great stature, or esteem, in her community.
And finally, a statute is a written law, such as that of a particular government or organization:
Both words come from the Latin word "to stand," but a statue literally stands, often on two legs, and a statute is a law that stands. So while you might find a statue in the park of, say, Jimi Hendrix, it's the statutes about that park that allow a monument to the rock star to be erected there. (Description from Vocabulary.com) |