chryselephantine
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of chryselephantine
1820–30; < Greek chrȳselephántinos, equivalent to chrȳs- chrys- + elephántinos ( elephant-, stem of eléphās elephant, ivory + -inos -ine 1
Explanation
Use chryselephantine to describe ancient Greek sculpture that's made of ivory and gold. In the 6th century, chryselephantine figures commonly adorned the insides of temples, depicting gods and goddesses. These sculptures, built on wooden frames, used ivory for the deities' bodies and faces, and sheets of hammered gold to represent their hair, clothing, and armor. Chryselephantine is derived from Greek roots, khrysos, "gold, " and elephans, which means both "elephant" and "ivory."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It is ironic that the best evidence we have of what Phidias' lost chryselephantine statue of Athena in the Parthenon looked like should be preserved on a Scythian woman's pendant from the 4th century B.C.
From Time Magazine Archive
Actress West plays her heroine with an eloquent and minatory calm, which contrasts well with the chryselephantine magnificence of her appearance.
From Time Magazine Archive
They were acquainted with the arts of dyeing and incrusting ivory, and they also possessed some splendid specimens of chryselephantine statuary.
From Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 421 Volume 17, New Series, January 24, 1852 by Chambers, William
There was the grove of Altis, in which were ranged the statues of the victorious athletes, and the temple of Olympian Zeus with the chryselephantine statue of the god, the masterpiece of Pheidias.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 4 "G" to "Gaskell, Elizabeth" by Various
The Farnese Minerva, at Naples, may afford some idea of the chryselephantine statue of the Parthenon.
From Museum of Antiquity A Description of Ancient Life by Haines, T. L. (Thomas Louis)
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
