barley-twist

adjective

bar·​ley-twist
: having a twisted form : twisted in a way that resembles a twisted stick of barley sugar
a building with barley-twist columns
… a whitewashed side table with barley-twist legs …Liz Seymour, New York Times, 21 Oct. 1999
barley-twist gothic adornments enliven facades, and corinthian columns crumble from walls.Nick Redman, Sunday Times (London), 12 Aug. 2007
also : characterized by twisted design elements
antique barley-twist furniture

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of barley-twist was in 1914

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Dictionary Entries Near barley-twist

Cite this Entry

“Barley-twist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barley-twist. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

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