contour vs outline

contour and outline both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
contour	Yes	No	Yes	No
outline	Yes	No	Yes	No

As verbs, outline is a hypernym of contour; that is, outline is a word with a broader meaning than contour:

Other hypernyms of contour include delineate, limn.

contour (noun)	outline (noun)
any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)	a schematic or preliminary plan
a feature (or the order or arrangement of features) of anything having a complex structure	a sketchy summary of the main points of an argument or theory
a line drawn on a map connecting points of equal height	the line that appears to bound an object

contour (verb)	outline (verb)
form the contours of	describe roughly or briefly or give the main points or summary of
	trace the shape of
	draw up an outline or sketch for something