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trompe l'oeil
[ French trawnp -lœ-yuh; English trawmp -ley, loi ]
/ French trɔ̃p ˈlœ yə; English ˈtrɔmp ˈleɪ, ˈlɔɪ /
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noun
visual deception, especially in paintings, in which objects are rendered in extremely fine detail emphasizing the illusion of tactile and spatial qualities.
a painting, mural, or panel of wallpaper designed to create such an effect.
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Origin of trompe l'oeil
1895–1900; <French: literally, (it) fools the eye
Words nearby trompe l'oeil
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use trompe l'oeil in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for trompe l'oeil
trompe l'oeil
/ (French trɔ̃p lœj) /
noun plural trompe l'oeils (trɔ̃p lœj)
a painting or decoration giving a convincing illusion of reality
an effect of this kind
Word Origin for trompe l'oeil
from French, literally: deception of the eye
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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