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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
David Moin, Footwear News, 23 Dec. 2025
The plaster maquettes were smashed into tiny pieces.
—D. T. Max, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
On his desk is a maquette of the Martin Luther King sculpture that sits outside the High School for Art and Design on Amsterdam Avenue, which was built by a very dear friend of my father’s — William Tarr.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 4 Sep. 2025
Several years prior, Jane had read about Lipchitz’s work in an art magazine, and a maquette of one of his sculptures caught her eye.
—Rima Suqi, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Maquette.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maquette. Accessed 27 Dec. 2025.
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