arabesque

[ ar-uh-besk ]

noun

1. Fine Arts. a sinuous, spiraling, undulating, or serpentine line or linear motif.
2. a pose in ballet in which the dancer stands on one leg with one arm extended in front and the other leg and arm extended behind.
3. a short, fanciful musical piece, typically for piano.
4. any ornament or ornamental object, as a rug or mosaic, in which flowers, foliage, fruits, vases, animals, and figures are represented in a fancifully combined pattern.

adjective

1. decorated with or characterized by arabesques:

   arabesque design.

arabesque

/ ˌærəˈbɛsk /

noun

1. ballet a classical position in which the dancer has one leg raised behind and both arms stretched out in one of several conventional poses
2. music a piece or movement with a highly ornamented or decorated melody
3. arts
   1. a type of curvilinear decoration in painting, metalwork, etc, with intricate intertwining leaf, flower, animal, or geometrical designs
   2. a design of flowing lines

adjective

1. designating, of, or decorated in this style

Other Words From

• ara·besquely adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of arabesque¹

1605–15; < French < Italian arabesco ornament in Islamic style, literally, Arabian, equivalent to Arab ( o ) Arab ( def ) + -esco -esque

Word History and Origins

Origin of arabesque¹

C18: from French, from Italian arabesco in the Arabic style

Example Sentences

Ruble perfected her movements in sync with the music and the other dancers, her head tilted at just the right angle, her arabesque hitting the correct line, her discipline and note-taking clearly paying off.

From Los Angeles Times

The lines curl into dense molars and concise arabesques, like visual mantras, repeated to form airy mandalas.

From New York Times

This meditative adagio is the work’s longest movement, and Olafsson stretched its darkling arabesques to more than 10 minutes.

From New York Times

This was classic couture — in sandstone tulle, sky-like lilac, blush cloud pink and dappled pastels — with arabesque motifs on golden foliage.

From Seattle Times

There, McRae hits a perilous arabesque pose on top of a weight bench and moodily drives a Zamboni over an ice rink.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• color
• design
• finery
• ornament
• plaque
• ribbon
• trinket
• wreath