contrapposto

American

[kohn-truh-pos-toh] / ˌkoʊn trəˈpɒs toʊ /

noun

Fine Arts.

a representation of the human body in which the forms are organized on a varying or curving axis to provide an asymmetrical balance to the figure.

contrapposto British

/ ˌkɒntrəˈpɒstəʊ /

noun

(in the visual arts) a curving or asymmetrical arrangement of the human figure with the shoulders, hips, and legs in different planes

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

contrappostos

plural

Etymology

Origin of contrapposto

1900–05; < Italian < Latin contrāpositus, past participle of contrāpōnere to place against. See contra ¹, posit

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.

In December, Casey and his husband and business partner, Nick Axelrod-Welk, who co-founded the website Into the Gloss and the brand Nécessaire, opened Contrapposto, a cosmetic dermatology clinic in West Hollywood.

From New York Times • May 16, 2024

Contrapposto, for example, where weight rests more on one leg like Michelangelo’s David, is very difficult to maintain.

From Salon • Jun. 29, 2018

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023