Directoire
Americanadjective
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noting or pertaining to the style of French furnishings and decoration of the mid-1790s, characterized by an increasing use of Greco-Roman forms along with an introduction, toward the end, of Egyptian motifs: usually includes the Consulate period.
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(of costume) in the style of the period of the French Directory.
noun
noun
adjective
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of, in, or relating to a decorative style of the end of the 18th century in France; a form of neoclassicism
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characteristic of women's dress during the French Directory, typically an almost transparent dress with the waistline under the bust
Etymology
Origin of Directoire
From French; see origin at directory
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.
The style had roots in the late 18th century, when France’s Directoire era represented a retreat from gaudy Rococo maximalism and an embrace of clean, froth-free lines.
From Salon • Jun. 12, 2026
The bones of Mabille’s apartment allude to that so-called Directoire style.
From New York Times • May 31, 2018
At Frank Partridge, there’s a gaudy, repellent yet fascinating Directoire ormolu mantel clock made in France in 1795.
From New York Times • Oct. 16, 2014
A serious Martha Mitchell touched up her Directoire coiffure and faced the cameras wearing green silk and diamonds.
From Time Magazine Archive
Had not Bonaparte systematically bled Italy of money and treasure the Directoire could not have conducted business so long.
From The French Revolution A Short History by Johnston, R. M. (Robert Matteson)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
