Is bas-relief the same as relief sculpture?

Bas-relief is a kind of relief sculpture. It usually means the design is only slightly raised.

Is bas-relief used in everyday English?

No, it is mostly used in art, history, and architecture.

How do I use bas-relief in a sentence?

You can say, “The museum displayed a Roman bas-relief.”

← Dictionary

bas-relief

/ˌbæz.rɪˈliːf/

IELTSAcademic

noun

A design, picture, or shape carved on a surface so that it stands out a little. It is not fully three-dimensional, but it is raised from the background.

The temple wall had a stone bas-relief.
She studied the bas-relief on the monument.

Adinary Nuance

Bas-relief is a type of relief sculpture, but it means the raised work is shallow. Use it when the image still looks attached to the background. It is more specific than sculpture, and more technical than decoration or carving.

In other languages

Vietnamese: phù điêu
Spanish: bajorrelieve
Chinese: 浅浮雕
Japanese: 浅浮き彫り
Korean: 저부조

Etymology

From French bas-relief, meaning “low relief.” It entered English in the 18th century through art and architecture writing.

Common phrases

stone bas-reliefancient bas-reliefwall bas-relief

Synonyms

relief sculpture shallow carving

Related words

sculpture carving frieze monument

Frequently asked questions

Is bas-relief the same as relief sculpture?: Bas-relief is a kind of relief sculpture. It usually means the design is only slightly raised.
Is bas-relief used in everyday English?: No, it is mostly used in art, history, and architecture.
How do I use bas-relief in a sentence?: You can say, “The museum displayed a Roman bas-relief.”