rococo
[ ruh-koh-koh, roh-kuh-koh ]
/ rəˈkoʊ koʊ, ˌroʊ kəˈkoʊ /
noun
a style of architecture and decoration, originating in France about 1720, evolved from Baroque types and distinguished by its elegant refinement in using different materials for a delicate overall effect and by its ornament of shellwork, foliage, etc.
a homophonic musical style of the middle 18th century, marked by a generally superficial elegance and charm and by the use of elaborate ornamentation and stereotyped devices.
adjective
(initial capital letter) Fine Arts.
- noting or pertaining to a style of painting developed simultaneously with the rococo in architecture and decoration, characterized chiefly by smallness of scale, delicacy of color, freedom of brushwork, and the selection of playful subjects as thematic material.
- designating a corresponding style of sculpture, chiefly characterized by diminutiveness of Baroque forms and playfulness of theme.
of, pertaining to, in the manner of, or suggested by rococo architecture, decoration, or music or the general atmosphere and spirit of the rococo: rococo charm.
ornate or florid in speech, literary style, etc.
Origin of rococo
1830–40; < French, akin to
rocaille
rocaille
Words nearby rococo
Example sentences from the Web for rococo
British Dictionary definitions for rococo
rococo
/ (rəˈkəʊkəʊ) /
noun (often capital)
a style of architecture and decoration that originated in France in the early 18th century, characterized by elaborate but graceful, light, ornamentation, often containing asymmetrical motifs
an 18th-century style of music characterized by petite prettiness, a decline in the use of counterpoint, and extreme use of ornamentation
any florid or excessively ornamental style
adjective
denoting, being in, or relating to the rococo
florid or excessively elaborate
Word Origin for rococo
C19: from French, from
rocaille, from
roc
rock
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