maquette

noun

ma·​quette ma-ˈket 

: a usually small preliminary model (as of a sculpture or a building)

Did you know?

Maquette came to English directly from French, first appearing in our language in the late 19th century. The French word, which possesses the same meaning as its English descendant, derived from the Italian noun macchietta, meaning "sketch," and ultimately from Latin macula, meaning "spot." Maquettes are generally intended to serve as rough models of larger designs. Architects make maquettes of their buildings, and sculptors often create maquettes in wax or clay to help them realize the final sculpture. As an aside, you might spot something familiar in the word's Latin ancestor. The term "macula" in English refers to a spot (such as one on the eye) that is different from surrounding tissue; this is where we get the term "macular degeneration."

Examples of maquette in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The only exception is the room in the back where Pendleton, 40, paints; there, inks have drizzled onto strips of rosin paper covering the floor, and the counters are crowded with bottles of spray paint and exhibition maquettes. —Nicole Acheampong, New York Times, 7 June 2024

The exhibition will present preparatory drawings and a maquette for Flying Dragon alongside other pieces from 1975. —Maximilíano Durón For Artnews, Robb Report, 16 Sep. 2021

That day at MoMA, Jonas and Janevski were talking in the museum’s model room, where doll-size configurations of exhibits are imagined, and maquettes of the museum’s various spaces, each for a different forthcoming show, clutter the tables. —Susan Dominus Emiliano Granado, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024

Kent Melton, the animation sculptor who created maquettes made of clay for iconic characters found in movies including Aladdin, The Lion King, Mulan, The Incredibles and Coraline, has died. —Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, from Italian macchietta sketch, diminutive of macchia, ultimately from Latin macula spot

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined above

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