trompe l'oeil
[ French trawnp lœ-yuh; English trawmp ley, loi ]
/ French trɔ̃p ˈlœ yə; English ˈtrɔmp ˈleɪ, ˈlɔɪ /
noun
visual deception, especially in paintings, in which objects are rendered in extremely fine detail emphasizing the illusion of tactile and spatial qualities.
a painting, mural, or panel of wallpaper designed to create such an effect.
Origin of trompe l'oeil
1895–1900; < French: literally, (it) fools the eye
Words nearby trompe l'oeil
British Dictionary definitions for trompe l'oeil
trompe l'oeil
/ (French trɔ̃p lœj) /
noun plural trompe l'oeils (trɔ̃p lœj)
a painting or decoration giving a convincing illusion of reality
an effect of this kind
Word Origin for trompe l'oeil
from French, literally: deception of the eye