intarsia

American  

[in-tahr-see-uh] / ɪnˈtɑr si ə /

noun

1. an art or technique of decorating a surface with inlaid patterns, especially of wood mosaic, developed during the Renaissance.

---

intarsia British  

/ ɪnˈtɑːsɪə /

noun

1. a decorative or pictorial mosaic of inlaid wood or sometimes ivory of a style developed in the Italian Renaissance and used esp on wooden wall panels

2. the art or practice of making such mosaics

3. (in knitting) an individually worked motif

---

Other Word Forms

• intarsiate adjective

Etymology

Origin of intarsia

1860–65; alteration (influenced by Italian tarsia ) of Italian intarsio, derivative of intarsiare to inlay, equivalent to in- in- ² + tarsiare < Arabic tarṣīʿ an inlay, incrustation; see tarsia

Example Sentences

It was most striking in a wavy oxblood-and-black intarsia leather jacket.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 23, 2024

For accessories, Venturini Fendi marked 25 years of the brand's Baguette's bag by bringing back editions in cashmere, shearling-lined leather and intarsia mink.

From Reuters • Feb. 23, 2022

Isabel Marant, Hermès and Jil Sander all received the comfy-core memo, with roomy knitwear crafted with graphic intarsia and abstract patterns in contrasting colours.

From The Guardian • Jan. 28, 2021

The show covered 100 looks over 30 minutes, including full-length intarsia furs featuring images of the New York skyline and the American flag.

From Washington Post • May 22, 2018

Under the east window is the bishop's throne, backed and surrounded with more good intarsia, in which saints and sainted bishops with their symbols most effectively figure.

From Cathedral Cities of Italy by Collins, William Wiehe