Romanesque

[ roh-muh-nesk ]

adjective

1. noting or pertaining to the style of architecture prevailing in western or southern Europe from the 9th through the 12th centuries, characterized by heavy masonry construction with narrow openings, features such as the round arch, the groin vault, and the barrel vault, and the introduction or development of the vaulting rib, the vaulting shaft, and central and western towers for churches.
2. pertaining to or designating the styles of sculpture, painting, or ornamentation of the corresponding period.
3. (lowercase) of or relating to fanciful or extravagant literature, as romance or fable; fanciful.

noun

1. the Romanesque style of art or architecture.

Romanesque

/ ˌrəʊməˈnɛsk /

adjective

1. denoting, relating to, or having the style of architecture used in W and S Europe from the 9th to the 12th century, characterized by the rounded arch, the groin vault, massive-masonry wall construction, and a restrained use of mouldings See also Norman
2. denoting or relating to a corresponding style in painting, sculpture, etc

Romanesque

1. A style of architecture and art common in Europe between the ninth and twelfth centuries. It combined elements of the architecture typical of the Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire . The arch es on Romanesque buildings are usually semicircular rather than pointed as in Gothic architecture.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Romanesque¹

1705–15; Roman + -esque; compare French romanesque romantic

Word History and Origins

Origin of Romanesque¹

C18: see Roman , -esque

Example Sentences

Kathy: I don’t care if it’s French, Dutch or Romanesque, I’m going to wear a bathing suit top.

From Los Angeles Times

He was able to combine the rich ornamental vocabularies of various Classical, Romanesque, Moorish, Gothic and Renaissance styles into successful residential architecture that was grand in scale yet comfortable to live in.

From Seattle Times

Prolific architect Elmer H. Fisher had commissions to design a number of post-Great Seattle Fire buildings in the popular Romanesque style.

From Seattle Times

Those accomplishments had resulted in a seven-foot-tall statue of Schuyler being placed, nearly a century ago, on a pedestal in front of Albany’s grandly Romanesque City Hall, just across from the State Capitol.

From New York Times

Commissions for “fireproof” public buildings poured in, and his mostly Romanesque revival designs soon dotted the state.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• alien
• awkward
• new
• romantic
• unfamiliar