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

trombidiasis, trombone, trommel, tromp, trompe, trompe l'oeil, Tromsö, -tron, trona, tronc, Trondheim

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use trompe l'oeil in a sentence

Only the L, K, and A of the old sign remain stuck to the side of the office.
The Congo's Forgotten Colonial Getaway|Nina Strochlic|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
John L. Smith is a columnist with the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Will Hyman Roth Return to Havana With Normalized Relations?|John L. Smith|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I try to call him to say l agree it's better to stay in Los Angeles after all.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
My immediate chief was a Lieutenant Colonel Verne L. Bowers, clearly picked out by Eisenhower as a highly talented staff officer.
I Saw Nuclear Armageddon Sitting on My Desk|Clive Irving|November 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST

“A big step from an L-39 to a MiG-21,” the retired Air Force pilot said.
U.S. Fighter Jocks Pray The ‘ISIS Air Force’ Rumors Are True|Dave Majumdar|October 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
De l peu d'heures il mourut entre mes mains fort chrestiennement.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
But L. Struve estimates the number of those visible to the great telescopes at 20 millions.
God and my Neighbour|Robert Blatchford
After l. 479 Thynne inserts And thus in sorowe lefte me alone; it is spurious; see note.
Chaucer's Works, Volume 1 (of 7) -- Romaunt of the Rose; Minor Poems|Geoffrey Chaucer
All insert white after Was, which spoils metre and story (see l. 948).
Chaucer's Works, Volume 1 (of 7) -- Romaunt of the Rose; Minor Poems|Geoffrey Chaucer
L mesme il y a des arbres d'inestimable beaut en hauteur & grosseur.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various

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 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

trompe l'oeil

Origin of trompe l'oeil

Words nearby trompe l'oeil

Words related to trompe l'oeil

How to use trompe l'oeil in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for trompe l'oeil

Word Origin for trompe l'oeil