diptych

noun

dip·​tych ˈdip-(ˌ)tik 

1

: a 2-leaved hinged tablet folding together to protect writing on its waxed surfaces

2

: a picture or series of pictures (such as an altarpiece) painted or carved on two hinged tablets

3

: a work made up of two matching parts

Illustration of diptych

• diptych 2

Examples of diptych in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Clearly the most godless Man of God Garfield has played — the one-two of playing a televangelist here and a Mormon cop in Under the Banner of Heaven makes for a religious diptych that’s uniquely American. tick, tick … BOOM! —Rory Doherty, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2024

Jepsen’s most recent studio album, The Loveliest Time, landed in 2023, completing a diptych with 2022’s The Loneliest Time. —Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 16 July 2025

The play, a diptych, has a second act in which the same actors play the roles of the parents of their first-act characters. —Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2025

The lithograph diptych is by America Martin and was also sourced through 1stDibs. —Juliet Izon, Architectural Digest, 12 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin diptycha, plural, from Greek, from neuter plural of diptychos folded in two, from di- + ptychē fold

First Known Use

1622, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for diptych

• cryptic
• styptic
• triptych
• tryptic
• apocalyptic
• ecliptic
• elliptic