Directoire

American  

[dee-rek-twar] / di rɛkˈtwar /

adjective

1. 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.

2. (of costume) in the style of the period of the French Directory.

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noun

1. French History. directory.

Directoire British  

/ dirɛktwar /

noun

1. history the French Directory See Directory

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adjective

1. of, in, or relating to a decorative style of the end of the 18th century in France; a form of neoclassicism

2. 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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Directoire

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

That gave the production its look, with costumes “from the Directoire period, roughly speaking, and a real sense of gothic decay,” McVicar said.

From New York Times ● Sep. 25, 2022

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

I am often struck by the historical parallels of the Directoire and the First Consulate.

From Time Magazine Archive

She had to clear out of France because of political activities, after the collapse of the Fourth Republic and the establishment of the Rightist Directoire in '57.

From The Mercenaries by H. Beam Piper

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