bas-relief

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: bas-re=lief

CIDE DICTIONARY

bas-relief, n. [F. bas-relief; bas low + relief raised work, relever to raise: cf. It. bassorilievo.].

 Low relief; sculpture, the figures of which project less than half of their true proportions; -- called also bass-relief and basso-rilievo. See Alto-rilievo.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

bas-relief, n. sculpture or carving in which the figures project slightly from the background.

Etymology

earlier basse relieve f. It. basso rilievo low relief: later altered to F form