chinoiserie

American  

[sheen-wah-zuh-ree, -wah-zuh-ree, shee-nwaz^uh-ree] / ʃinˌwɑ zəˈri, -ˈwɑ zə ri, ʃi nwazəˈri /

noun

(sometimes initial capital letter)

plural

chinoiseries

1. a style of ornamentation current chiefly in the 18th century in Europe, characterized by intricate patterns and an extensive use of motifs identified as Chinese.

2. an object decorated in this style or an example of this style.

   The clock was an interesting chinoiserie.

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chinoiserie British  

/ -ˈwɑːzərɪ, ʃiːnˌwɑːzəˈriː /

noun

1. a style of decorative or fine art based on imitations of Chinese motifs

2. an object or objects in this style

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Etymology

Origin of chinoiserie

1880–85; < French, equivalent to chinois Chinese + -erie -ery

Example Sentences

The console is topped with traditional elements; a collection of blue chinoiserie taking center stage, including a tiny delicate tea set that has been in her family for years.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 22, 2023

Dabito has been embracing his love for chinoiserie through antique art deco Oriental rugs that incorporate florals and birds.

From Washington Post • Jan. 11, 2021

Inside, it was decorated in decadent chinoiserie, with a thirty-foot glass chandelier clutched in the claws of a silvered dragon suspended above the dining table.

From The New Yorker • Jan. 10, 2020

Naturally, it was none other than Benjamin Franklin, the chief disciple of Confucius and chinoiserie among the Founding Fathers of the United States.

From Salon • Feb. 6, 2019

To the rage for every possible form of chinoiserie, for which he is chiefly responsible, Sir William Chambers owed much of his success in life.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 7 "Cerargyrite" to "Charing Cross" by Various