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

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

The diptych begins with an artist onstage for a public conversation, then floats in and out of internal monologues and exchanges between the artist and his censor. —Philip Tinari, Artforum, 1 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