baroque
/bəˈrɒk/Baroque describes art, music, or buildings that are highly detailed, grand, and richly decorated. It can also mean a style that feels elaborate or overly fancy.
- The palace has a baroque ceiling.
- She prefers baroque music to modern pop.
- His writing became baroque and hard to follow.
Baroque is a style of European art, music, and architecture from the 1600s and early 1700s. It is known for drama, ornament, and strong emotion.
- We studied the baroque in art history.
- The church is a fine example of the baroque.
- Mozart came after the baroque period.
Adinary Nuance
Baroque is more specific than ornate or decorative. Use baroque for a historical style in art, music, or buildings, especially from the 1600s and 1700s. Use ornate for anything richly decorated, even if it is modern. Use fancy for everyday speech, but it is much less precise.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- hoa mỹ
- Spanish
- barroco
- Chinese
- 巴洛克
- Japanese
- バロック様式
- Korean
- 바로크
Etymology
Baroque entered English from French in the 1700s, originally from Portuguese barroco, meaning a misshapen pearl. The word later described a bold, heavily decorated art style of the 17th century.
Common phrases
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is baroque used for style, or only for history?
- It is used for both. It can mean the historical 1600s style, or something very elaborate today.
- What is the difference between baroque and ornate?
- Baroque often points to a specific historical style. Ornate simply means richly decorated.
- Can I use baroque in everyday English?
- Yes, but it sounds formal. It is more common in art, music, architecture, and literature.