the outer edges of something; the outline of its shape or form 外形；轮廓 - (also contour line)
a line on a map that joins points that are the same height above sea level （地图上连接相同海拔各点的）等高线 a contour map (= a map that includes these lines) 等高线地图
Word Originmid 17th cent.: from French, from Italian contorno, from contornare ‘draw in outline’, from con- ‘together’+ tornare ‘to turn’.