baroque

1 of 2

adjective

ba·​roque bə-ˈrōk How to pronounce baroque (audio)
ba-,
-ˈräk,
-ˈrȯk
often capitalized
1
art : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a style of artistic expression prevalent especially in the 17th century that is marked generally by use of complex forms, bold ornamentation, and the juxtaposition of contrasting elements often conveying a sense of drama, movement, and tension
a baroque cathedral
baroque music and literature
the baroque period
2
: characterized by grotesqueness, extravagance, complexity, or flamboyance
a truly baroque act of sabotageG. N. Shuster
3
of gems : irregularly shaped
a baroque pearl
baroquely adverb

baroque

2 of 2

noun

often capitalized
art : the baroque style or the period in which it flourished

Did you know?

Baroque came to English from the French word barroque, meaning "irregularly shaped." At first, the word in French was used mostly to refer to pearls. Eventually, it came to describe an extravagant style of art characterized by curving lines, gilt, and gold. This type of art, which was prevalent especially in the 17th century, was sometimes considered to be excessively decorated and overly complicated. It makes sense, therefore, that the meaning of the word baroque has broadened to include anything that seems excessively ornate or elaborate.

Examples of baroque in a Sentence

Adjective a somewhat baroque writing style a book filled with baroque descriptions
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
This high-spirited baroque concert will find Camarada performing Bach, Couperin and Vivaldi’s classic flute concerto, La Notte. Beth Wood, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Mar. 2024 Pro hairstylists anticipate that bombshell bobs like the supermodel bob and baroque bob will be everywhere this spring. Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 11 Mar. 2024 Gangi, Sicily Gangi exudes Sicilian small-town magic, with a hilltop castle, medieval and baroque churches, and stone houses with terracotta roofs (some of which have sold for just one euro). Anne Olivia Bauso, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2024 Take the example of Roman baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi, who was raped by her painter-mentor, Agostino Tassi, in 1611 at the age of 17. Julia Khrebtan-Hörhager, The Conversation, 7 Mar. 2024 There was a baroque bob for the Goya Awards; a bouncy midi-chop at the Governors Awards; and just before that, a tousled lob. Hannah Coates, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2024 Assael ‘s aquamarine pear shape and baroque Tahitian pearl earrings. Beth Bernstein, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Highlights include shopping in Palermo’s centuries-old markets, exploring Cagliari’s baroque palazzi and hilltop fortress, and touring Menorca’s Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 26 Feb. 2024 Depp segued into a specific type of character acting around this time, taking on projects that were more focused on baroque costumes than compelling scripts. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 31 Oct. 2023
Noun
Last July, Lucy Chadwick, the British director of the contemporary art gallery Champ Lacombe in Biarritz, France, bought a cake on the spur of the moment at a local bakery to accompany the opening of her latest exhibition, a group show about the digital-age baroque. Zoey Poll Katja Mayer, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2024 Even the ballet music is a set of arrangements, gently spicing up tunes from the Italian baroque. Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 24 July 2023 Too many attendees confused the Gilded Age (Titanic times) with rococo or baroque (Marie Antoinette times). Vulture, 1 May 2023 Today's fabrications are just as great, like this cornely-effect embroidery, inspired by Andalusian baroque. Kristina Rutkowski, Harper's BAZAAR, 31 Jan. 2023 Kontrapunktus, a baroque chamber orchestra, consists of musicians who add youthful energy and flair to the music. Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2023 Arranged by bassoonist LaMoure, a group of pieces by baroque composer Jean-Philippe Rameau conjured pastoral associations. Dallas News, 8 Feb. 2022 Sans-serif typefaces are easier to read than their more baroque relatives, particularly on a screen. Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 18 Jan. 2023 Maria Friedman’s staging brings the intelligence of the songs fully alive and justifies the baroque construction. Jesse Green, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'baroque.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

French, from Middle French barroque irregularly shaped (of a pearl), from Portuguese barroco irregularly shaped pearl

Noun

noun derivative of baroque entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1734, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1852, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of baroque was circa 1734

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Dictionary Entries Near baroque

Cite this Entry

“Baroque.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/baroque. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

baroque

adjective
ba·​roque
bə-ˈrōk,
ba-,
-ˈräk
: of or relating to a style of art and music common in the 17th century that is marked especially by the use of much fancy decoration
baroque noun

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