arabesque

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: ar=a=besque

CIDE DICTIONARY

arabesque, n. [F. arabesque, fr. It. arabesco, fr. Arabo Arab.].

 A style of ornamentation either painted, inlaid, or carved in low relief. It consists of a pattern in which plants, fruits, foliage, etc., as well as figures of men and animals, real or imaginary, are fantastically interlaced or put together.  [1913 Webster]
" It was employed in Roman imperial ornamentation, and appeared, without the animal figures, in Moorish and Arabic decorative art. (See Moresque.) The arabesques of the Renaissance were founded on Greco-Roman work."  [1913 Webster]

arabesque, a. 

•  Arabian.  [1913 Webster]
•  Relating to, or exhibiting, the style of ornament called arabesque; as, arabesque frescoes.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

arabesque, n.
1 Ballet a posture with one leg extended horizontally backwards, torso extended forwards, and arms outstretched.
2 a design of intertwined leaves, scrolls, etc.
3 Mus. a florid melodic section or composition.

Etymology

F f. It. arabesco f. arabo Arab

THESAURUS

arabesque

acciaccatura, appoggiatura, baroque, baroqueness, basketry, basketwork, cadence, cadenza, cancellation, chinoiserie, coloratura, cross-hatching, crossing-out, division, elaborateness, elegance, embellishment, fanciness, filigree, fineness, fioritura, flamboyance, flight, floridity, floridness, flourish, floweriness, fret, fretwork, grace, grace note, grate, grating, grid, gridiron, grille, grillwork, hachure, hatching, incidental, incidental note, interlacement, intertexture, intertwinement, lace, lacery, lacework, lacing, lattice, latticework, long mordent, luxuriance, luxuriousness, mesh, meshes, meshwork, mordent, moresque, net, netting, network, ornament, ostentation, overelaborateness, overelegance, overornamentation, passage, plexure, plexus, pralltriller, raddle, reticle, reticulation, reticule, reticulum, richness, riddle, rococo, roulade, run, screen, screening, sieve, single mordent, texture, tissue, tracery, trellis, trelliswork, turn, wattle, weave, weaving, web, webbing, webwork, weft, wicker, wickerwork

ROGET THESAURUS

arabesque

Ornament

N ornament, floridness c, adj, turgidity, turgescence, altiloquence, declamation, teratology, well-rounded periods, elegance, orotundity, inversion, antithesis, alliteration, paronomasia, figurativeness, flourish, flowers of speech, flowers of rhetoric, frills of style, euphuism, euphemism, big-sounding words, high-sounding words, macrology, sesquipedalia verba, Alexandrine, inflation, pretension, rant, bombast, fustian, prose run mad, fine writing, sesquipedality, Minerva press, phrasemonger, euphuist, euphemist, ornament, beautified, ornate, florid, rich, flowery, euphuistic, euphemistic, sonorous, high-sounding, big-sounding, inflated, swelling, tumid, turgid, turgescent, pedantic, pompous, stilted, orotund, high flown, high flowing, sententious, rhetorical, declamatory, grandiose, grandiloquent, magniloquent, altiloquent, sesquipedal, sesquipedalian, Johnsonian, mouthy, bombastic, fustian, frothy, flashy, flaming, antithetical, alliterative, figurative, artificial, ore rutundo, ornament, ornamentation, ornamental art, ornature, ornateness, adornment, decoration, embellishment, architecture, jewelry, garnish, polish, varnish, French polish, veneer, japanning, lacquer, gilding, plating, ormolu, enamel, cloisonn_e, cosmetics (in general), makeup, eye shadow, rouge, face powder, lipstick, blush, pattern, diaper, powdering, paneling, graining, pargeting, detail, repousse (convexity), texture, richness, tracery, molding, fillet, listel, strapwork, coquillage, flourish, fleur-de-lis, arabesque, fret, anthemion, egg and tongue, egg and dart, astragal, zigzag, acanthus, cartouche, pilaster, bead, beading, champleve ware, cloisonne ware, frost work, Moresque, Morisco, tooling, embroidery, brocade, brocatelle, galloon, lace, fringe, trapping, border, edging, trimming, hanging, tapestry, arras, millinery, ermine, drap d'or, wreath, festoon, garland, chaplet, flower, nosegay, bouquet, posy, daisies pied and violets blue, tassel knot, shoulder knot, apaulette, epaulet, aigulet, frog, star, rosette, bow, feather, plume, pompom, panache, aigrette, finery, frippery, gewgaw, gimcrack, tinsel, spangle, clinquant, pinchbeck, paste, excess of ornament, gaud, pride, illustration, illumination, vignette, fleuron, head piece, tail piece, cul-de-lampe, flowers of rhetoric, work of art, ornamented, beautified, ornate, rich, gilt, begilt, tesselated, festooned, champleve, cloisonne, topiary, smart, gay, trickly, flowery, glittering, new gilt, new spangled, fine as a Mayday queen, fine as a fivepence, fine as a carrot fresh scraped, pranked out, bedight, well-groomed, in full dress, dressed to kill, dressed to the nines, dressed to advantage, in Sunday best, en grand tenue, en grande toilette, in best bib and tucker, endimanche, showy, flashy, gaudy, garish, gairish, gorgeous, ornamental, decorative, becoming.