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arabesque
[ ar-uh-besk ]
/ ˌær əˈbɛsk /
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noun
Fine Arts. a sinuous, spiraling, undulating, or serpentine line or linear motif.
a pose in ballet in which the dancer stands on one leg with one arm extended in front and the other leg and arm extended behind.
a short, fanciful musical piece, typically for piano.
any ornament or ornamental object, as a rug or mosaic, in which flowers, foliage, fruits, vases, animals, and figures are represented in a fancifully combined pattern.
adjective
decorated with or characterized by arabesques: arabesque design.
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Origin of arabesque
OTHER WORDS FROM arabesque
ar·a·besque·ly, adverbWords nearby arabesque
araara, Arab, Arab American, araban, Arabel, arabesque, Arabia, Arabia Deserta, Arabia Felix, Arabian, Arabian camel
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
How to use arabesque in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for arabesque
arabesque
/ (ˌærəˈbɛsk) /
noun
ballet a classical position in which the dancer has one leg raised behind and both arms stretched out in one of several conventional poses
music a piece or movement with a highly ornamented or decorated melody
arts
- a type of curvilinear decoration in painting, metalwork, etc, with intricate intertwining leaf, flower, animal, or geometrical designs
- a design of flowing lines
adjective
designating, of, or decorated in this style
Word Origin for arabesque
C18: from French, from Italian arabesco in the Arabic style
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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