Synonyms for rococo


Grammar : Adj
Spell : ruh-koh-koh, roh-kuh-koh
Phonetic Transcription : rəˈkoʊ koʊ, ˌroʊ kəˈkoʊ


Définition of rococo

Origin :
  • 1836, "old-fashioned," from French rococo (19c.), apparently a humorous alteration of rocaille "shellwork, pebble-work" from Middle French roche "rock," from Vulgar Latin *rocca "stone." Specifically of furniture or architecture of the time of Louis Quatorze and Louis Quinze, from 1841. If this is correct, the reference is to the excessive use of shell designs in this lavish style. For differentiation, see baroque. The general sense of "tastelessly florid or ornate" is from 1844.
  • Much of the painting, engraving, porcelain-work, etc., of the time has ... a real decorative charm, though not of a very high order in art. Hence rococo is used attributively in contempt to note anything feebly pretentious and tasteless in art or literature. [Century Dictionary, 1902]
  • adj gaudy
Example sentences :
  • Helen and I are economising; so the other evening we dined at the Rococo.
  • Extract from : « Punch or the London Charivari, Vol. 147, November 25, 1914 » by Various
  • So we cleaned and adorned ourselves and groped our way to the Rococo.
  • Extract from : « Punch or the London Charivari, Vol. 147, November 25, 1914 » by Various
  • In this, as in Hamlet, there are the rococo excrescences—yourselves, let us say.
  • Extract from : « The Innocence of Father Brown » by G. K. Chesterton
  • The stitch illustrated in fig. 87 is known as rococo stitch.
  • Extract from : « Embroidery and Tapestry Weaving » by Grace Christie
  • In France the preference was for rococo and 191Mansard forms.
  • Extract from : « Folkways » by William Graham Sumner
  • The prototype of the German salon naturally was the salon of the rococo period.
  • Extract from : « Jewish Literature and Other Essays » by Gustav Karpeles
  • They are of mahogany and have the rococo ornaments peculiar to this style.
  • Extract from : « The Old Furniture Book » by N. Hudson Moore
  • Most of its buildings are old, reflecting the rococo architecture of an earlier day.
  • Extract from : « North Dakota » by Various
  • But Chaplin had likewise the other qualities of the rococo painter.
  • Extract from : « The History of Modern Painting, Volume 2 (of 4) » by Richard Muther
  • Variations on a Rococo Theme, for violoncello and orchestra.
  • Extract from : « The Life & Letters of Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky » by Modeste Tchaikovsky

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