conversation piece

American  

noun

1. any object that arouses comment because of some striking or unusual quality.

2. group portraiture representing more or less fashionable people either in an interior or landscape setting.

3. a play that relies for its effect mainly on the cleverness of its dialogue rather than on plot or action.

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conversation piece British  

noun

1. something, esp an unusual object, that provokes conversation

2. (esp in 18th-century Britain) a group portrait in a landscape or domestic setting

3. a play emphasizing dialogue

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conversation piece Idioms  

1. An unusual object that arouses comment or interest, as in That bust of Aunt Nettie is ugly but it's an excellent conversation piece. In the early 1700s this same term was used for a particular kind of painting that represented a group, often a family, arranged as though they were conversing with one another. Later in the century the term was extended to any object that stimulates conversation.

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Etymology

Origin of conversation piece

First recorded in 1775–85

Example Sentences

So perhaps in an effort to keep viewers interested at halftime, O’Neal pulled out quite the conversation piece.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 24, 2024

"They can be a real conversation piece and often people have tattoos that tell stories, as mine do," she said.

From BBC • Nov. 14, 2023

Barnes & Noble’s in-store banned book display makes a statement, and the sometimes-surprising titles provide a certain conversation piece.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 3, 2022

A conversation piece and something for people to talk about and wonder about.

From Salon • Sep. 10, 2022

Though Ben had pleaded for the station wagon, Bull had insisted that the Plymouth was a conversation piece and would help break the ice on Ben’s first date.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

Related Words

• abnormality
• anomaly
• characteristic
• curiosity
• idiosyncrasy
• incongruity
• irregularity
• peculiarity
• phenomenon
• quirk
• rarity